EM lottery pots almost repaired

The complicated and mathematically demanding phase of qualification for the European Championship is over. 21 of the 24 participants – including already top seed Germany – have been confirmed and can schedule the tournament in summer 2024 (June 14 to July 14). Who can be considered as an opponent in the preliminary round? Which group of hammers threatens the crisis-ridden team of national coach Julian Nagelsmann? And what happens next with qualification after the draw on December 2 in Hamburg? Nagelsmann and DFB sports director Rudi Völler commented, among other things, on the 0-2 defeat against Austria on Tuesday evening.

What will possible emerging groups look like for Germany?

Denmark, European Championship semi-finalists the Netherlands and defending champions Italy would probably be the toughest group for Germany on paper. However, a season with Albania, Slovenia and a nominally weak playoff participant is also possible. While the first pot of the draw includes England, favorites Portugal, runners-up France and Nations League winners Spain, alongside the DFB team, runner-up pot also includes Turkey and the ÖFB team, against whom there were recent test match defeats. Only three participants are still uncertain in pot four, which will be played during the playoffs in March. What constellations are possible there and how the system works.

There will be a small draw in Nyon this Thursday. A team will be formed and will move from path B to path A. Finland, Ukraine and Iceland are eligible. The other two nations remain in Path B. Home advantage for the three finals will also be determined. The final round will take place in Hamburg on December 2 (6 p.m.).

Austrian bankruptcy of the DFB team: Nagelsmann understands the “concerns of supporters”

National coach Nagelsmann obviously had something particularly important to say when he said goodbye to the long, looming international break. « I’m not frustrated and I’m not playing the role of victim, » he said repeatedly after the bitter 2-0 defeat in Vienna on Tuesday evening. He was « sad » because the national team’s defeats against Austria and Turkey (2:3) three days earlier were particularly painful. “But not in the role of victim.”

Less than seven months before the home European Championship, the 36-year-old, who had only been employed until the end of the tournament, was visibly struggling to spread optimism one way or another. another one. “I understand the fans’ concerns, I can completely understand that,” said Nagelsmann, whose DFB squad had revealed glaring weaknesses in virtually every area.

Nagelsmann assured that outside of matches, his team was a “very closed community with an incredibly good atmosphere”. In the end, there is little to see. Unlike the Austrians, who, according to their team manager Ralf Rangnick, play « like friends », there is rarely a sense of unity within the German team. “I feel like too many of us are still struggling alone,” Nagelsmann said. « Everyone is busy with themselves, which is of course somewhat normal given recent and interim history. » The national coach admitted he did not have a « perfect solution ». He spoke out against a major restructuring of the team after the arrival of Hansi Flick in September, but tried a lot tactically, especially in the last two games – notably with Kai Havertz (24) in an unusual position on the left side with a lot of defensive tasks. The next two of the four European Championship test matches are scheduled for March.

His players’ strengths are « control of the game » and « attacking (Site notre bureau spécialisé), » Nagelsmann said. There was no sign of this against Austria. In addition to an “absurdly” high turnover rate, the presentation of the game was “too slow, too undynamic, very irrelevant”. His tactic didn’t work. Nagelsmann said the style of play would also be tailored to the available players. There is “no euphoria around his team at the moment, that’s understandable,” he said, repeating the mantra that Flick and DFB sporting director Völler had uttered before him : it’s all about winning, “persistent” good performances. “Not by chatting.”

Völler’s announcement to DFB players: « We can’t stand it »

Völler, however, took the team to task after the match. « It’s not really about the result, but the way it happened, it’s not nice, we can’t stand it, and it has to improve, » said Tuesday evening the 1990 world champion. « I know it’s still a term, an overused word, but we lack a bit of German virtues. »

National coach Nagelsmann will “draw his conclusions” from the defeat by March, “including who he will ultimately bet on.” The DFB selection must bring « five to ten percent passion, dynamism and energy » into the game. « Otherwise it will be difficult, » said Völler. “It’s not about whether you play with a three or four chain, or whether Kai Havertz plays left-back, that’s not the question. The fact is that we were missing five or ten percent in both games. We have to work on that,” said the sporting director.

It’s a « general question, I don’t know if it depends on the type of player, » the 63-year-old added. “We have to work on it. Unfortunately, we won’t have the next two international matches until March.

National player Sané apologizes after his expulsion: “It’s my responsibility”

Leroy Sané apologized for the violence after his expulsion against Austria. “The game depends on me today, it’s on me. I have to control myself, this can’t happen, I let the team down, » said the 27-year-old. He also apologized to his national team colleagues for his offense in the dressing room.

The FC Bayern Munich professional knocked down his opponent Phillipp Mwene with a punch after a duel at the start of the second half and received a red card (49th). “It was nothing personal against Philipp, it was my own performance, like I said, it shouldn’t happen to me,” Sané said to explain the incident. “I’m motivated, I want us to go in the right direction,” he said. As a result of this infraction, Sané faces a suspension of at least three matches from the world association FIFA. This means that Munich national coach Nagelsmann would no longer be available until the final test match of the European Championship at the beginning of June.

Sané had shown good games for Bayern this season. However, like the entire DFB selection, he was disappointing against Turkey and Austria. “In general, we should not make ourselves small. We have great quality in the team. That’s why it’s so difficult to understand from the outside why it doesn’t work,” Sané said of the DFB selection’s predicament.

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