A thunderstorm passed over Herzogenaurach on Thursday morning around the time of the German national football team’s training session. “The rain was heavy,” said Nico Schlotterbeck at a press conference after the session in the selection’s European Championship quarters.
The Borussia Dortmund central defender actually only wanted to speak to the media once Germany had reached the final of the tournament in Germany – which will take place on July 14th in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. But now the 24-year-old has changed his plans. Also because his role has suddenly changed. Instead of being a substitute, he is likely to be in the starting eleven in the round of 16 in Dortmund against Denmark on Saturday (9 p.m., in the WELT sports ticker) – and replace Jonathan Tah, who has been suspended after his second yellow card.
Despite the rain, national coach Nagelsmann told the team the match plan during training and beforehand, “we know how we can play against them,” emphasized Schlotterbeck. And how exactly? “We have to find the right spaces. Switzerland did very well against us, we have to find more solutions. Like in the second half. It is always the goal in the knockout game to score one more goal than the opponent.”
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The Danish striker Jonas Wind from VfL Wolfsburg “is known from the Bundesliga, he is very agile.” Rasmus Højlund from Manchester United is “incredibly fast and uses his body very well. The Danes have very high quality up front.”
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Schlotterbeck is not used to being a substitute in his club. In the first three group matches of the European Championship, he always started on the bench. He tries to always be ready, and he believes he managed to do that when he was substituted in the last group match against Switzerland. “When it matters, you have to be there.”
Difficult start under Julian Nagelsmann
He did not have an “easy start” under Nagelsmann, and the national coach did not nominate him at the beginning of his tenure. “He expected consistency from me, and I delivered.” Schlotterbeck admitted that he was worried about his participation in the European Championships in the spring. “Of course you have doubts. I’ve been the only new player since the international matches in March. I’m really happy and proud that I managed it.”
Nico Schlotterbeck (2nd from left) in training with the German national team for the round of 16 against Denmark
Source: dpa/Federico Gambarini
Now he is looking forward to the round of 16 in Dortmund, his home stadium. “There is always a great atmosphere there, the Turks and Albanians have really raised the alarm recently. It is the biggest and most atmospheric stadium in Germany. I hope it will be a white wall. We have sparked a little euphoria and I hope we can make the fans happy.”
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It is still unclear whether he will play alongside Antonio Rüdiger. The Real Madrid defender is still suffering from a strain in the back of his thigh. “I had the injury too. It’s not easy to get it out of your head,” said Schlotterbeck on Thursday afternoon. Regarding a possible team play with Rüdiger, he said: “We’ve already played together a few times. I’m always a fan of having both feet in central defence. (Left foot and right foot, editor’s note). We have to wait and see how it goes and I hope we can do it on Saturday.”
Rüdiger’s participation will only be decided “shortly before the game” on Saturday evening in Dortmund. As the German Football Association (DFB) announced on Thursday after the secret training, the defense chief is still in “rehabilitation training” due to his thigh strain.
Doctors treat Antonio Rüdiger several times a day
Rüdiger is being treated by DFB doctors several times a day. The 31-year-old was not yet able to take part in the team’s training session on the grounds in Herzogenaurach. However, the central defender has taken “the next step” towards recovery, it was said.
Rüdiger sustained the muscle injury in the last group match in the 1:1 draw against Switzerland last Sunday in Frankfurt/Main. Last Wednesday he completed his first runs and exercises in the DFB team’s fitness tent. If Rüdiger is unable to play, Waldemar Anton from VfB Stuttgart will probably form the central defense with Schlotterbeck.
Something could also change in the offensive. Many fans would like Niclas Füllkrug to play in attack from the start after his goals as a substitute in the group stage against Denmark. A public discussion has arisen. And according to BILD, Füllkrug is a serious option for Nagelsmann in the starting eleven.
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Kai Havertz was set to play in the first three group matches against Scotland (5:1), Hungary (2:0) and Switzerland (1:1). Nagelsmann had stuck to his established hierarchy in the preliminary round.
The coaching team is now apparently also discussing whether Havertz and Füllkrug could play from the start. Füllkrug could play in the center of the attack, with Havertz behind him, as a creative center with Jamal Musiala. For this to happen, Florian Wirtz would have to make way, as he has recently lost some of his strength.
Rudi Völler assesses discussion about Niclas Füllkrug
DFB sports director Rudi Völler has not made a clear decision in the big German striker discussion. But when describing the respective strengths, the 64-year-old gave an indication of the direction in which the national team’s sporting management is planning for the match against Denmark.
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“Fülle’s scoring rate is certainly exceptional,” said Völler on Wednesday at the DFB headquarters about Niclas “Fülle” Füllkrug. The 31-year-old striker has scored 13 goals in 19 international matches. He has scored four goals as a substitute in five tournament matches at the 2022 World Cup and this European Championship. “It’s unbelievable how he scores in the playing time he has,” said the former world-class striker Völler.
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However, Völler also explained what spoke in Havertz’s favour so far in the tournament – and what speaks in favour of him at the start of the knockout phase: “Kai is an outstanding footballer, even if he hasn’t scored a goal apart from the penalty (against Scotland). But he is enormously important for the team, the way he works, the way he keeps the ball up front, the way he demands it. His teammates notice that too.”
Völler also said: “You also need a center forward who plays, and Kai can do that wonderfully. He does it exceptionally well in his own way.” Havertz is set to make his 50th appearance for Germany against the Danes. The Arsenal FC attacker has scored 17 goals so far.
