National League quarter-finals: T question solved: “more stable” Baumann against Italy in goal

During the first training of the national soccer team on the site of Borussia Dortmund, the goalkeeper hierarchy for the Italian-cracker did not yet be deciphered. Oliver Baumann or Alexander Nübel? Who does national coach Julian Nagelsmann put in the DFB goal in the National League quarter-finals?

In the evening there was clarity: Baumann received the number one from Nagelsmann and, according to information from the German press agency, will represent the continued injured regular keeper Marc-André Ter between the posts when the DFB team wants to reach the Nationsliga final Four for the first time. And that is the coach’s goal, the player around captain Joshua Kimmich and the DFB boss. “The Italians will demand everything from us, but of course we want to get into the next round,” said sports director Rudi Völler.

All 23 players in training

In the first of just two exercises before the first leg on Thursday (8:45 p.m./ARD) in Milan, Nagelsmann was able to practice at least with all 20 field players and the three goalkeepers after the top-class offensive failures by Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz.

During training, Nagelsmann had left the goalkeepers in the unclear. “I don’t know what it will look like,” said Stefan Ortega. Manchester City’s 32-year-old is currently number three in the squad and already had a premonition when he praised the Hoffenheim veteran. “Olli has been playing in the Bundesliga for 20 years. And what I think is really good with him is how stable he plays. He has few outliers down.”

Baumann’s mistake against St. Pauli without an impact

At the last appearance in front of the two Italy games Baumann, at the Hoffenheimer 0-1 against St. Pauli, a mistake in the player opening.

“This has nothing to do with the national team, it won’t affect it,” said Baumann confidently afterwards. He also had several really strong goalkeeper scenes in the lost game.

The six-year-old Nübel was “an exciting goalkeeper who took a good development in Stuttgart,” said Ortega at the training ground about the Baumann competitor. Ortega’s overall conclusion is: “We are all three good, modern goalkeepers.”

“First talk to the players”

Nagelsmann had kept covered with the cadre announcement. “We want to talk to the players first,” said the 37-year-old. However, it is “planned that we have the two games a number one”.

Even if Ortega was the first to do the exercises on Tuesday in goalkeeper training, followed by Nübel (28) and veteran Baumann, this order was not an indication of ranking. For Baumann, the winner of the tight number one race, it will definitely be the biggest evenings in the Germany jersey so far.

When Nagelsmann said after the home European Championships of 2024 and the resignation of Germany’s record goalkeeper Manuel Neuer his eternal crown prince ter Stegen to his number one towards World Cup 2026, the T question first seemed to be clarified. Ter Stegen also contested the first two Nations League games. And then it happened: the Barça goalkeeper tore the patella tendon in the knee. A shock – and a month -long break.

The long wait for the steps

Since then, Nagelsmann has been there without a clear number one. Ter Stegen is still in construction training. The 32-year-old did not make the headlines recently on the soccer field, but as a private person with the separation from his wife Daniela after eight years of marriage.

From the beginning, Nagelsmann made it clear that Ter Stegen’s status, as Germany’s number one, was not questioned by the lengthy injury. Incidentally, the situation in the goalkeeper Germany sees Ter Stegen relaxed. The national coach is “spoiled for choice, we don’t really have to worry,” says Ter Stegen.

It must now be answered against Italy whether the luxury is so big. Germany’s fear opponent can put a world-class man in the goal in Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain, which is currently in top shape. The 26 -year -old European champion from 2021 has the experience of 70 international matches. Ortega calls Donnarumma “an interesting goalkeeper, has also felt forever, a leader and currently good in the flow in Paris”.

70: 2 caps for Donnarumma

Baumann – as well as representative Nübel – can only compared Donnarumma as experience. In October and November, Nagelsmann still rely on a job division. The two Ter-Stegen representatives changed, nobody made a rough mistake. In contrast to Nübel, Baumann played twice to zero. Nagelsmann saw him one tick ahead.

Perhaps this was the decisive factor for the clarified veteran Baumann, who after a foot injury at the beginning of the year has less game practice than Nübel. He has to prove himself against Italy.