Nations League against Italy: Alberei and Antipasti: Magic of San Siro as a title spark

The national players enjoyed antipasti with the Nobel Italian, the national coach Alberte with star guest Niclas Füllkrug on the training ground. Julian Nagelsmann did not have passed the good mood despite the major personnel problems around the injured Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz and the acute lack of time before the explosive double cracker against the squadra Azzurra.

Now the ambitious national coach wants to continue the legendary German-Italian football history with his very personal chapter of success. The national team is to be brought on track in Milan’s football cultural center even under difficult conditions – for two titles. “I hope that we will write our own stories and less to write that there have been great duels in the past,” said Nagelsmann before the quarter-final first leg on Thursday (8:45 p.m./ARD).

Only the win of the Nations League this summer, then the World Cup triumph as a crowning glory in America in 2026: that is the Nagelsmann announcement. There can hardly be a better place than the Giuseppe-Mazza Stadium for German title dreams. The national coach warned of a nostalgia trap. He cannot escape the magic of San Siro either.

In 1990 in the Milan Beton block in five games, including the legendary 2-1 in the round of 16 against the Netherlands with Rudi Völler as the main actor, the foundation for the later World Cup victory. “Of course they were wonderful games,” recalled the DFB sports director of the magical Italian football summer.

In 2001 FC Bayern won the Champions League Cup in Milan. “Today is a good day to write history,” was emblazoned on a Munich fan transparent. This motto could also lead Nagelsmann’s motivational speech.

“I know that many changing encyclopedia of football are. I actually do little to deal with the past. I prefer to try to influence the topicality,” said the national coach. Nagelsmann always lives in the here and now. In today.

“There are two games that we have to and want to make absolutely positive,” he summarized the weekly schedule including the second leg on Sunday (8:45 p.m./RTL) in Dortmund. The style has been the same since the unfortunate EM-out against Spain. Title competence must be purchased in the tournament.

Victories for the World Cup self-confidence

“In addition, I have emphasized several times that it is about the further development of a good self -image. When you see Spain when you see Argentina how many games they have won in front of their big titles, this is an important factor,” argues the national coach.

The current tasks are great. Not only Wirtz and Havertz fail. Aleksandar Pavlovic and Benjamin Henrichs are also missing. In addition, goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen and Torgarr Füllkrug for several months. Nagelsmann admitted that he had to make “compromises” when compilation.

For him, that meant to appoint players who are not up to date in their clubs, in terms of performance and with their operating times. In particular, he called Robert Andrich von Bayer Leverkusen or Stuttgart Deniz Undav. An exception should be towards the World Cup. Nagelsmann now made it clear.

“The players also know that with a 30 percent playing time in the club, they most likely not be a player for the national team, because then the whole simple number of games is far too little to be able to play a good World Cup qualifier and a good World Cup,” said Nagelsmann.

In goal, the decision for Oliver Baumann was made as number one and deputy for Ter Stegen. Alexander Nübel has to go to the bench. Returner Leon Goretzka, thanks to the dazzling form in the defensive midfield center at the comeback, could go back to the starting eleven after 16 months. As a next man for Pascal Groß or Angelo Stiller.

After all, Nagelsmann can bring his top four chain with captain Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rüdiger, Jonathan Tah and David. But be careful: everyone except Rüdiger are preloaded yellow and would be missing three days later if a further warning in the crucial second leg.

Musiala especially in focus

The situation on the offensive is serious. Jamal Musiala is the last remaining whirlwind from the EM formation. Against Italy, the young star of FC Bayern is waiting for a special responsibility – and a matriculation examination.

Havertz, Wirtz and Füllkrug are missing. Ilkay Gündogan ended his career, now Nagelsmann has to tinker around Musiala. The Gladbacher Tim Kleindienst, who was successfully tried and tested in autumn, can certainly run at the forefront.

Musialas Bayern colleague Leroy Sané should also get a starting place, despite all the fluctuations in shape and motivation. The Mainz Jonathan Burkardt and Nadiem Amiri as well as Stuttgarts Jamie Leweling described Nagelsmann themselves as energy options for a joker use.

Sané. The name immediately leads back to the German-Italian football Almanach. In 2022, the Munich hit in San Siro at the 2-0 of FC Bayern in the Champions League near Inter Milan. The Bayern coach at the time: Nagelsmann. So he also knows the taste of a victory in San Siro.

Century game and penalty drama

The nostalgic enthusiasm of 1990 world champion Völler for the legendary rivalry with the Squadra Azzurra does not want to share. But the 37-year-old knows exactly what the duels mean for German football fans.

The century game in the World Cup semi-final 1970 (3: 4 NV), the World Cup final defeat 1982 (1: 3), the prevented happy ending of the summer fairy tale in the World Cup semi-finals 2006 (0: 2) in the current return on Dortmund. But in 2016 there was also a dramatic round of round of 16 of the DFB team in the penalty shootout.

Nagelsmann is welcome every support. Also from Völler. “Of course I am also close to Rudi, a former Roman folk hero who is also looking forward to the games.