With high expectations, full of anticipation and without much pressure from the DFB President, the German footballers tackle the EM.
Before the planned departure from Frankfurt/Main, the new head of the association, Bernd Neuendorf, said: “I’m not someone who says the women have to make it to the final or the semi-finals, otherwise it’s a disappointment.” National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg once again warned of the tough competition for the record European champions in England.
Neuendorf does not want to give the DFB women any specifications for the cut. “I have always emphasized that I am not a president who says: You have to get so far,” said the 60-year-old of the German Press Agency. “I trust the coaching staff.”
Defender Sara Doorsoun from Eintracht Frankfurt put it this way: “We want to win the title.” Not only with the experienced Almuth Schult from Wolfsburg, who has to give way to the Frankfurt goalkeeper Merle Frohms, there is “total anticipation”. Of course, everyone in the squad of 23 around captain Alexandra Popp is dreaming of the final at Wembley Stadium on July 31st.
At the start of the European Championship against Denmark
Practically everything is at stake for the eight-time European champion on Friday (9 p.m. / ZDF) in London-Brentford against the 2017 European Championship runners-up. “The start against Denmark is our most important game – that’s our focus,” said assistant coach Britta Carlson.
Germany failed in the quarter-finals in 2017 with the team led by former Wolfsburg player Pernille Harder – at that time still under national coach Steffi Jones. A defeat against Denmark would put the 2016 Olympic champions and 2003 and 2007 world champions under enormous pressure in the second group match against title contenders Spain (12 July). Outsider Finland is the last preliminary round opponent on July 16th. In the quarter-finals, there is a risk of a knockout game against hosts England, who opened the European Championship on Wednesday in a sold-out Old Trafford in Manchester with a game against Austria.