EM tickets in snack form. Julian Nagelsmann remains an unusual national coach. When all the names for the home tournament have been announced, some personnel issues will still concern him.
Nico Schlotterbeck in the Tagesschau, Jonathan Tah’s picture on a cake in the social media clip. Julian Nagelsmann is once again taking a special path. The national coach surprised everyone by awarding the European Championship tickets according to the salami principle. All candidates for the home tournament will be known by Thursday (1 p.m.) at the latest with the official date in Berlin. However, Nagelsmann still takes some personnel questions into his preparation for the European Championship – and possibly even into the tournament.
Why are the EM tickets given out in advance in snack form?
The announcement of the World Cup and European Championship squads was always a big secret. The squads were announced with more or less fanfare. Naming several players individually and in advance is a clever trick from Nagelsmann and the DFB. The focus will be on the topic over several days and the EM fever will be further fueled. Different platforms from Tagesschau to Instagram also serve different interest groups. The touching clip with geriatric nurse Rashid Hamid and grandma Lotti for Tah’s cake nomination quickly received thousands of colorful comment hearts on Monday.
Nagelsmann remains in control of events. The national coach and association were extremely upset that his explosive personal details were leaked in advance in March with the removal of Mats Hummels and Leon Goretzka as well as the arrival of newcomers from VfB Stuttgart.
What is Nagelsmann doing with Mats Hummels and the other Dortmund Champions League heroes?
Nico Schlotterbeck is there. However, Hummels cannot have any greater hopes for reactivation. In contrast to his BVB colleague, who is eleven years older than him, the 24-year-old Schlotterbeck fits into the announced change in personnel philosophy. He is a suitable backup and an integrative challenger to the regulars Tah and Antonio Rüdiger. Deviating from this principle again would make Nagelsmann untrustworthy to his players.
Nagelsmann takes Dortmund’s momentum into account with the triumphant march to the Champions League final with Schlotterbeck’s appointment and avoids a major public outcry. For Hummels, however, the glory of the premier class is apparently not of sufficient importance. This could also apply to offensive man Julian Brandt. Niclas Füllkrug will probably remain the only BVB professional in the DFB squad alongside Schlotterbeck.
Does Leon Goretzka still have a chance?
A quiet Munich courtship can still be heard. “When he plays, he’s reliable, he always gives his all and is dangerous to score. The season isn’t over yet, the nomination hasn’t been made yet, let’s see,” said coach Thomas Tuchel. But what applies to Hummels also applies to Goretzka (29). The regular places in the six position have been given to Toni Kroos and Robert Andrich. England legionnaire Pascal Groß is behind in the hierarchy and in Aleksandar Pavlovic there is a young guy with perspective.
Is there still a place for Goretzka? Hardly likely. All of Goretzka’s assurances about accepting any European Championship role, even if it was as a peripheral figure, could be in vain for the power player, who provided the most beautiful European Championship moment with the heartfelt celebration against Hungary three years ago.
Have the March newcomers secured their EM ticket?
If Nagelsmann sticks to his personnel concept, then March winner Maximilian Mittelstädt is not the only one who has very good prospects for the European Championship. The VfB colleagues Deniz Undav and Waldemar Anton have also at least already had their European Championship job outlined by the national coach. Chris Führich, fourth in the quartet, has been there for a long time anyway. “We laid the foundation for the European Championships in March and have already built a good team,” said Mittelstädt, expressing the Swabian combo’s self-confidence.
It could be tighter for Jan-Niklas Beste from 1. FC Heidenheim or Maximilian Beier from TSG Hoffenheim. Robin Koch from Eintracht Frankfurt is also a shaky candidate after Schlotterbeck’s appointment. But: Nagelsmann said in March that he was only planning on making one or two changes.
How many players is Nagelsmann actually taking with him to the European Championship?
Nagelsmann doesn’t like the UEFA decision to allow 26 instead of 23 players in the squad again. A group that is too large also poses dangers, says the national coach. Nevertheless, he is likely to exhaust his quota. As a variant, Nagelsmann initially starts the preparation with a good 20 players. The currently four participants in the Champions League final with a European Championship guarantee from Dortmund and Real Madrid (Kroos, Rüdiger, Füllkrug, Schlotterbeck) would join later. Nagelsmann must report his tournament squad to UEFA by midnight on June 7th at the latest.
Will Leroy Sané’s tournament suffering continue?
Winger Sané has only been able to play and train to a limited extent at FC Bayern for weeks due to problems with his pubic bone. “Leroy is currently undergoing pain treatment again,” said coach Tuchel, who was unable to make a European Championship prediction. “Leroy will do everything for the European Championships.” That’s understandable, as a European Championship exit would be particularly bitter for the 28-year-old.
Big tournaments are a cross for him. After his taster debut as a young star at the 2016 European Championships, there was a surprising disqualification for the 2018 World Cup, a 2021 European Championship without any sparkle or scoring, and shortly before the start of the unfortunate 2022 World Cup mission in Qatar, a knee injury that slowed him down and hindered him. Nagelsmann will have to carefully assess what benefit an ailing Sané can bring him.
How serious is the condition of the hopefuls Musiala and Wirtz?
Permanent knee pain for Jamal Musiala, thigh injury for Florian Wirtz. The health problems of his vertebrae duo cannot leave Nagelsmann unconcerned. Both 21-year-olds’ participation in the European Championship does not currently appear to be in danger. But how fit will the “Magicians” be at the home tournament? “I’ve been playing with painkillers and injections for the last few months,” said Musiala. At least he can take it easy after Bayern’s exit from the Champions League until the start of preparation.
Wirtz, on the other hand, wants to play two more finals with Bayer Leverkusen. On May 22nd in the Europa League against Atalanta Bergamo, three days later in the DFB Cup against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. “We have a plan with Flo. If things go well, he will come back to training on Wednesday or Thursday,” said club coach Alonso. Nagelsmann will follow developments closely.
Source: Stern
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