Football Championship: First crisis meeting: Frustration at DFB team is deep

The German footballers lost their laugh and line. On the morning after rubbing through the Swedishes, the team of national coach Christian Wück appeared with serious faces for training in Zurich-Booklers and eagerly wrote autographs for the 350 approved fans. The former good mood group has to find itself again after the highest defeat in the European Championship history and before the quarter-finals.

“We were already put together as a team this morning,” said Sjoeke Nüsken briefly after only four hours of sleep and a few days ago. “There will definitely be changes,” announced the midfielder.

“We’ll shake”

“We are now on the ground, but we’ll get up again,” Wück announced after the 1: 4 (1: 3) against the World Cup third. The 52-year-old is now challenged as a crisis manager at his first tournament with the women. He has a whole week to process the debacle and rebuild his “girls”. He will give him the most headache how he brings a reasonable defense on the pitch.

“We will shake ourselves and will then go to this quarter -finals with joy and with full courage. No matter who,” announced Wück after the failed preliminary round. Wing player Jule Brand expressed what everyone in the team thought in perspective: “There are no weaker teams.”

Instead of the supposedly lighter tournament path as the first group, the eight -time title winner threatens in a possible semi -finals in a successful quarter -finals world champion Spain – the strongest team in this European championship so far.

The German team will only compete in Basel on Saturday (9:00 p.m.). The semi -finals on July 23 would take place in Zurich. “We have seven days to prepare. We will use them,” promised Laura Freiang.

The Frankfurt playmaker was at the start of the EM for the first time, but went under. “It is of course sobering. So you wouldn’t like to have such a day in the course of a European championship,” said Freiang. “But I prefer it today than on any other day, because now there are KO games.”

22,552 spectators in the Letzigrund Stadium-including Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil-and 7,662 million people in ZDF broadcast, how the DFB selection according to Jule Brands early leading goal was a bird-wild defensive behavior.

After the goals conceded by Stina Blackstenius and Smilla Holmberg, the Wück team decimated itself: Youngster Carlotta Wamser fought a ball on the goal line and saw red. Fridolina Rolfö converted the penalty. The Germans bravely defended themselves after the break, but Lina Hurtig added a goal.

“We give the game in 10 to 15 minutes, that’s incredibly bitter,” said the tireless attacker Klara Bühl. “I thought it would be a great game. We are in it,” complained Brand.

Wamser closed for a game

The defensive about defense chief Minge then presented itself anything but ready for the title. Wamser of all people is now missing in the quarter -finals, it was blocked for a game. The 21-year-old had represented Giulia Gwinn as a right-back, while the injured fine of the captain with a kneech in the bench witnessed the bench full of horror, as her colleagues collapsed.

The switch to a chain of three – as in the second half after taking the experienced Kathrin Hendrich – could be an option in the first KO game. Wück no longer has many alternatives: in the squad there are still Sophia Kleinhernen, who have been fighting for a permanent place in the team for years, and the inexperienced Franziska Kett. The nomination of the 20-year-old was already controversial because at FC Bayern as a full-back as number two she is considered to be behind the carolin Simon, which was not taken into account.

Wück nobody wants to “put it in pillory”

“You shouldn’t make the mistake of now accusing team parts or pillory,” emphasized Wück. “I think it’s wrong now when we say we just want to react and just want to destroy.” Minge also warned of a rigorous defensive tactic: “I think we shouldn’t change our entire system now.”

The fact is, however, that the defense was the greatest effort. Center defender Rebecca Knaak has often not grown at the European Championship, Minge was infected against the strong Swedes from the unrest and Sarai Linder weakened on the left.

Goalkeeper Berger unsettled?

To make matters worse, regular keeper Ann-Katrin Berger made two bad passes, but they remained without consequences. The Olympic heroine did without her risky dribblings criticized by the national coach.

“I actually didn’t get unsettled,” emphasized the 34-year-old after the debate about her playing style, but also said: “Maybe there were two or three balls that I will look at again.” Mountains also admitted communication deficiencies on the defensive, but was as usual: “I am glad that it has now happened and not in the quarter -finals.”