Die Mannschaft’s fourth and final UEFA Nations League match of the summer is set to take place in Mönchengladbach tomorrow evening. The day before the return fixture against Italy, head coach Hansi Flick and captain Manuel Neuer spoke to the media in Budapest about the upcoming opponents and the mood in the camp. Here are the most important parts:
Manuel Neuer on…
…the mood in the camp after the draw against Hungary: There has been a feeling of disappointment but we don’t have to bury our heads in the sand. We’re full of motivation and hunger. We may have lacked creativity and the cutting edge but we have shown the right attitude in every game.
…the match against Italy: A win would certainly taste good. We want to pick up the three points against Italy and give ourselves a lift.
...having the motivation so late in the season: You have to take every game seriously. We want to be as well-rehearsed at the back as possible going into the World Cup. That is a decisive factor for me and that’s why it’s good to play against such strong opponents in the Nations League.
...the rainbow captain’s armband: We haven’t decided if I will wear it at the World Cup yet. At the EUROs, we simply wanted to show that we stand for diversity and inclusivity.
Hansi Flick on…
…the development of the team: The team has made good progress. We haven’t lost a game yet but we have drawn the last four against albeit strong opponents. We were hoping for bit more and I thought that we were a bit further along in our development. As I said in the run-up to the international break, these four games allow us to analyse what we need to adjust in September.
…setting ambitious targets: You can set yourselves goals, but whether you achieve them or not is something entirely different. The four draws aren’t great because I simply want to win and the team feel the same way. We want to win games.
…the mood in the team: Wins are always important for the team. We have to give it our all again tomorrow. You are more convinced of your quality after a win.
…the opponents: Italy are doing a good job. They have squad depth and the line-up is always different. We want to put our opponents under pressure tomorrow. We have to be able to switch the ball better tomorrow and that is our focus.
…the problem areas: It’s the big picture. I sometimes don’t sense that level of conviction. We have to implement our game plan more effectively and force our opponents into losing possession.
…the problems at the top of the pitch: Our attack is not lacking in direction, but it is lacking that single-mindedness and sheer willingness to score. This requires not only self- belief but also freshness, and that is not always possible after such a long season.
…standing up for human rights: We stand up for human rights. We aspire to inform ourselves and then take action by speaking out.
…Leroy Sané: Leroy has the incredible potential to be able to help out the team. He performed extremely well for the team between September and November. That is his baseline and we have to help him to get back to that level of performance.
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Die Mannschaft’s fourth and final UEFA Nations League match of the summer is set to take place in Mönchengladbach tomorrow evening. The day before the return fixture against Italy, head coach Hansi Flick and captain Manuel Neuer spoke to the media in Budapest about the upcoming opponents and the mood in the camp. Here are the most important parts:
Manuel Neuer on…
…the mood in the camp after the draw against Hungary: There has been a feeling of disappointment but we don’t have to bury our heads in the sand. We’re full of motivation and hunger. We may have lacked creativity and the cutting edge but we have shown the right attitude in every game.
…the match against Italy: A win would certainly taste good. We want to pick up the three points against Italy and give ourselves a lift.
...having the motivation so late in the season: You have to take every game seriously. We want to be as well-rehearsed at the back as possible going into the World Cup. That is a decisive factor for me and that’s why it’s good to play against such strong opponents in the Nations League.
...the rainbow captain’s armband: We haven’t decided if I will wear it at the World Cup yet. At the EUROs, we simply wanted to show that we stand for diversity and inclusivity.
Hansi Flick on…
…the development of the team: The team has made good progress. We haven’t lost a game yet but we have drawn the last four against albeit strong opponents. We were hoping for bit more and I thought that we were a bit further along in our development. As I said in the run-up to the international break, these four games allow us to analyse what we need to adjust in September.
…setting ambitious targets: You can set yourselves goals, but whether you achieve them or not is something entirely different. The four draws aren’t great because I simply want to win and the team feel the same way. We want to win games.
…the mood in the team: Wins are always important for the team. We have to give it our all again tomorrow. You are more convinced of your quality after a win.
…the opponents: Italy are doing a good job. They have squad depth and the line-up is always different. We want to put our opponents under pressure tomorrow. We have to be able to switch the ball better tomorrow and that is our focus.
…the problem areas: It’s the big picture. I sometimes don’t sense that level of conviction. We have to implement our game plan more effectively and force our opponents into losing possession.
…the problems at the top of the pitch: Our attack is not lacking in direction, but it is lacking that single-mindedness and sheer willingness to score. This requires not only self- belief but also freshness, and that is not always possible after such a long season.
…standing up for human rights: We stand up for human rights. We aspire to inform ourselves and then take action by speaking out.
…Leroy Sané: Leroy has the incredible potential to be able to help out the team. He performed extremely well for the team between September and November. That is his baseline and we have to help him to get back to that level of performance.
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