In contrast to the previous group matches, national coach Julian Nagelsmann has left his line-up for the round of 16 against Denmark open. Antonio Rüdiger’s participation is probably possible.
“Nobody really pushed themselves forward in the final training session. So it’s possible that there won’t be any further changes,” Nagelsmann said on Friday evening (June 28, 2024) in an exclusive interview with Sportschau. He will be forced to make one change because Jonathan Tah will be missing due to a yellow card suspension.
When asked whether Kai Havertz or Niclas Füllkrug would play as strikers, or maybe even both would start, Nagelsmann said: “That is also an option.” But it did not sound as if it was a serious one, because the national coach repeated: “It is not our first resort to cross from the start.” This suggests that Havertz will start and Füllkrug will initially sit on the bench again, as in the previous games.
“We’ll decide tomorrow evening. I won’t give out any information beforehand,” Nagelsmann said during the press conference at the match venue in Dortmund. “I have players who start and I have players who come off the bench and have a big influence. I know who’s playing, but I won’t tell you.”
Rüdiger can probably play
In contrast to the group matches, which Germany always started with the same eleven, the national coach will change at least one position. In the 1:1 draw against Switzerland, Tah received his second yellow card of the tournament, which results in a one-match suspension.
Nico Schlotterbeck, who had already been substituted on for the day against Switzerland, indirectly confirmed on Thursday that he will also play in the first knockout game and replace the German champions from Bayer Leverkusen in central defense.
It was questionable whether Antonio Rüdiger would be fit in time. The second regular central defender pulled a muscle in his right thigh against Switzerland. However, he was back in action at the final training session on Friday and it seems likely that he will play. “If nothing happens overnight, he will be able to play,” said Nagelsmann.
Nagelsmann praises Danish team
He praised the Danes as a “well-organized team that can vary between high pressing and deep defending.” Because coach Kasper Hjulmand’s team has “good physicality and many experienced players,” they are a “tough opponent.”
Robert Andrich, who is expected to play alongside Toni Kroos in defensive midfield again, was looking forward to the atmosphere in the Dortmund stadium at the press conference, which only has a capacity of 62,000 spectators at EURO 2024: “I’m looking forward to the crowd, it’s going to be a great game with an incredible atmosphere.”
By plane to Dortmund
After the morning session, the national team traveled from the base camp in Herzogenaurach by bus to Nuremberg and from there boarded the plane to Dortmund.
With a win against Denmark (Saturday from 8:15 p.m. live in the radio report and in the live ticker), the selection of the German Football Association (DFB) would reach the quarter-finals of a European Championship for the first time since the 2016 European Championship. At the 2021 European Championship, they were eliminated in the round of 16 against England, and at the two World Cups in 2018 and 2022 in Russia and Qatar, they were eliminated after the group stage.
This is how the ARD experts are preparing against Denmark Arrow right This is how Germany’s path through the tournament could look Arrow right
In a possible quarter-final, Germany would face the winner of the match between Spain and Georgia in Stuttgart on Friday (05.07.2024).
