After the victories against Scotland and Hungary, the German national team is brimming with confidence. Only the pitch in Frankfurt is causing a little concern.
23.06.2024, 05:00
23.06.2024, 07:37
SDA
The German national players have bad memories of the pitch in Frankfurt. Although Germany won the test match against the Netherlands 2:1 in March, the players complained about the conditions one after the other. The pitch was also slippery during England's match against Denmark at the European Championships. "The pitch is extremely soapy and breaks down extremely quickly," said Chris Führich. However, his team-mate Deniz Undav immediately made it clear: "Whether we play on grass or stone, it doesn't matter, we have to win."
Coach Julian Nagelsmann agrees. "We want to finish first, we want to win every game," assured the national coach ahead of the match against Switzerland, who are two points behind the Germans ahead of the final group game. As a result, few changes are expected for Germany. "We want to continue to gather rhythm," said Nagelsmann directly after the 2-0 win against Hungary regarding possible changes to the starting line-up. "There won't be seven changes now, I can rule that out."
Momentum and a high energy level are Nagelsmann's criteria. Leading the way with a feeling of strength. This should also determine their thoughts and actions against Switzerland. "We want to get the train rolling even more," said Jonathan Tah. The central defender knows how to maintain the flow. The team-mate of Swiss captain Granit Xhaka has simply brought his masterful form from Bayer Leverkusen to the national team.
Meanwhile, midfielder Toni Kroos has already been asked about a possible quarter-final clash with the group-winning Spaniards. "I'd sign off on that," said the long-serving Real Madrid player, who will end his career after the European Championship. The fact that the Germans still need at least a draw against Switzerland to finish top of their group seems to be a detail. There is no fear of a stumble at the end.
