The Germany national team are currently at their team base camp in Herzogenaurach as they prepare for EURO 2024 (14th June to 14th July). Ahead of their opening game against Scotland on 14th June, Germany will face Ukraine on Monday night (20:45 CEST) and Greece on Friday, 7th June (20:45 CEST). Coach Julian Nagelsmann and midfielder Pascal Groß spoke at the pre-match press conference ahead of the Ukraine game on Sunday afternoon.
Julian Nagelsmann on...
...Manuel Neuer: He will play tomorrow. Manuel is looking good. He got a couple of extra days to recover from his stomach bug. He’s impressed in training. I don’t need to explain anything to him, he knows the game. He’s in good shape and will play well tomorrow.
…the captaincy: Nothing has changed so we’re going with Ilkay, Josh and Thomas. We haven’t decided a fourth-choice captain, but I’m confident one of these three will be on the pitch at all times. We can just decide on the spot if need be.
...Waldemar Anton and Robin Koch: Waldemar is a proper defender who can also be useful at the other end of the pitch too. He’s a good footballer and he loves defending, something that isn’t easy to find. Robin is the same. He fits well into the group and is a good guy. He’s got defending in his DNA, is physical and is happy with his role. Waldemar will start alongside Jonathan tomorrow, but Robin isn’t far off.
...the Home Ground in Herzogenaurach: The Home Ground is quite compact and that means everyone sees a lot of one another. It’s working well at the moment. Yesterday was the first time as a coach that I’ve seen a whole team watch a game together. Every player and coach was in attendance. The Home Ground helps the team to grow closer together.
...Ukraine: It’s often said that their national team wants to use football to distract the country from what’s going on there. That will be the most important thing for them tomorrow. They will give their absolute all and so will we. Football is definitely something that can help people to think of other things for at least 90 minutes. We will try to play our part in it being an interesting and entertaining game, regardless of the result. We will do our best to ensure that the 90 minutes feature some nice moments rather than suffering.
...things worked on in training: We have worked on our play in the final third, regrouping after losing possession and our build-up play. We’ll be able to train with the full group next week. The dates of our friendlies have not been perfect for our preparations. All the lads will have a day and a half off after the Greece game to take a rest. We’ll then have a week to prepare for Scotland, where we won’t do anything new in training, but we’ll just reinforce what we’ve already been working on. We’ll also specifically look at our opponents to ensure we have a solid plan.
...Pascal Groß: Pascal will take on Toni Kroos’ role against Ukraine. He’s an exceptional player and went under the radar for a long time. He’s great to speak about football with, he’s crazy about the sport! He’s really impressing us and I’m certain he’ll put in a good performance tomorrow.
Pascal Groß on...
…tomorrow’s game: We’ve got two games left before the tournament. Tomorrow is an important test against a good opponent. We want to play well and keep up our winning streak.
...deputising for Toni Kroos: I believe in my own strengths. I want to do a good job in his place tomorrow and help the team win the game. I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself and my teammates.
…his career: My journey has been quite unique after moving from Ingolstadt to England. The glimmer of hope I had that I’d one day get a call from the national team coach always drove me on to perform, but there have been other driving forces too. I really love football and I enjoy going to training every day. I know that I’m really lucky that my hobby has become my job. The fact that I’m sitting here right now makes me extremely proud.
...Ukraine: We obviously feel for Ukraine, it’s really emotional. I hope we can help give the people there an enjoyable 90 minutes. Ukraine have some fantastic athletes who are trying to make people back home happy during difficult times. This gives them a lot of motivation and I think that’s great. I think they’re a really good team – I know a few players from England and the players from Girona. They are fantastic players and always a threat. We will have to play really well if we want to win the game.
...Robert Andrich: I’ve known Robert Andrich for a long time, we’ve got a mutual friend from his time at Union Berlin. Robert stands for what he shows on the pitch – he’s fought his way to the top. He’s a great player and helps every team he plays for win games. He’s a winner. His last season was exceptional – Robert and Leverkusen deserve so much credit.
...the roles clearly assigned by Julian Nagelsmann: I took the conversation as a positive one. I immediately accepted my role and understood it. The coach also knows that I’ll train hard every day to make sure I’m ready for when I’m needed.
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The Germany national team are currently at their team base camp in Herzogenaurach as they prepare for EURO 2024 (14th June to 14th July). Ahead of their opening game against Scotland on 14th June, Germany will face Ukraine on Monday night (20:45 CEST) and Greece on Friday, 7th June (20:45 CEST). Coach Julian Nagelsmann and midfielder Pascal Groß spoke at the pre-match press conference ahead of the Ukraine game on Sunday afternoon.
Julian Nagelsmann on...
...Manuel Neuer: He will play tomorrow. Manuel is looking good. He got a couple of extra days to recover from his stomach bug. He’s impressed in training. I don’t need to explain anything to him, he knows the game. He’s in good shape and will play well tomorrow.
…the captaincy: Nothing has changed so we’re going with Ilkay, Josh and Thomas. We haven’t decided a fourth-choice captain, but I’m confident one of these three will be on the pitch at all times. We can just decide on the spot if need be.
...Waldemar Anton and Robin Koch: Waldemar is a proper defender who can also be useful at the other end of the pitch too. He’s a good footballer and he loves defending, something that isn’t easy to find. Robin is the same. He fits well into the group and is a good guy. He’s got defending in his DNA, is physical and is happy with his role. Waldemar will start alongside Jonathan tomorrow, but Robin isn’t far off.
...the Home Ground in Herzogenaurach: The Home Ground is quite compact and that means everyone sees a lot of one another. It’s working well at the moment. Yesterday was the first time as a coach that I’ve seen a whole team watch a game together. Every player and coach was in attendance. The Home Ground helps the team to grow closer together.
...Ukraine: It’s often said that their national team wants to use football to distract the country from what’s going on there. That will be the most important thing for them tomorrow. They will give their absolute all and so will we. Football is definitely something that can help people to think of other things for at least 90 minutes. We will try to play our part in it being an interesting and entertaining game, regardless of the result. We will do our best to ensure that the 90 minutes feature some nice moments rather than suffering.
...things worked on in training: We have worked on our play in the final third, regrouping after losing possession and our build-up play. We’ll be able to train with the full group next week. The dates of our friendlies have not been perfect for our preparations. All the lads will have a day and a half off after the Greece game to take a rest. We’ll then have a week to prepare for Scotland, where we won’t do anything new in training, but we’ll just reinforce what we’ve already been working on. We’ll also specifically look at our opponents to ensure we have a solid plan.
...Pascal Groß: Pascal will take on Toni Kroos’ role against Ukraine. He’s an exceptional player and went under the radar for a long time. He’s great to speak about football with, he’s crazy about the sport! He’s really impressing us and I’m certain he’ll put in a good performance tomorrow.
Pascal Groß on...
…tomorrow’s game: We’ve got two games left before the tournament. Tomorrow is an important test against a good opponent. We want to play well and keep up our winning streak.
...deputising for Toni Kroos: I believe in my own strengths. I want to do a good job in his place tomorrow and help the team win the game. I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself and my teammates.
…his career: My journey has been quite unique after moving from Ingolstadt to England. The glimmer of hope I had that I’d one day get a call from the national team coach always drove me on to perform, but there have been other driving forces too. I really love football and I enjoy going to training every day. I know that I’m really lucky that my hobby has become my job. The fact that I’m sitting here right now makes me extremely proud.
...Ukraine: We obviously feel for Ukraine, it’s really emotional. I hope we can help give the people there an enjoyable 90 minutes. Ukraine have some fantastic athletes who are trying to make people back home happy during difficult times. This gives them a lot of motivation and I think that’s great. I think they’re a really good team – I know a few players from England and the players from Girona. They are fantastic players and always a threat. We will have to play really well if we want to win the game.
...Robert Andrich: I’ve known Robert Andrich for a long time, we’ve got a mutual friend from his time at Union Berlin. Robert stands for what he shows on the pitch – he’s fought his way to the top. He’s a great player and helps every team he plays for win games. He’s a winner. His last season was exceptional – Robert and Leverkusen deserve so much credit.
...the roles clearly assigned by Julian Nagelsmann: I took the conversation as a positive one. I immediately accepted my role and understood it. The coach also knows that I’ll train hard every day to make sure I’m ready for when I’m needed.
