Germany Men’s national team are about to get their UEFA Nations League campaign underway. On the eve of their first fixture against Hungary in Düsseldorf on Saturday (20:45 CEST), national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann and midfielder Pascal Groß spoke about the game and about their goals for the coming months.
Julian Nagelsmann on...
... the opposition: We can’t expect the same exact opposition we faced at the EUROs. Hungary will look to get forward, so ultimately, it is up to us as to how far we can push our opponents back. We’ve got a different starting XI, but we haven’t got a completely different squad. Therefore, it’s not a radical change, so it won’t take us long to ramp it up.
... his expectations: Ideally, the way we play will lead to a good result. The first game after the EUROs is very important, to carry on our momentum and for the fans. We haven’t consciously done anything too different, because the players have just gone through pre-season training and so their heads are already full of new ideas. We’ve had very little time to train together, so it’s about consolidating the things we did before. I want to see the same enthusiasm to win games.
... the starting XI: Pascal Groß will play, but he’s not playing the Toni Kroos role; he’s playing the Pascal Groß role. Niclas Füllkrug will come in for Ilkay Gündogan, but it won’t be a like-for-like swap. Every player should do what they can do well. Kai Havertz will drop back into midfield a little more but depending on how the game goes we may go with two up top. We’re very flexible.
... the players who have retired from international football: We’ve lost four experienced players who were really important for us. But change also brings an opportunity for other players who were perhaps behind them in the pecking order. Naturally, I was sad when the quartet said they were retiring, but that’s sometimes part of football.
... Pascal Groß: He’s not only very secure on the ball, but he’s also very creative, even when it comes to playing it in behind. He’s not afraid to receive the ball, and he’s got a very good eye on the pitch. It’s fun to chat with him because he’s football mad. He’s also got a very good self-understanding. He’s an important person in the squad for many of the players, and he tries to guide the lads when he’s not on the pitch.
Pascal Groß on...
... seeing everyone again after the EUROs: I think it was great for everyone to return to home base. It brought back a lot of memories, and we were pleased to see each other again. We’ve had a good focus on the pitch and have prepared well, so we’re ready for the game.
... his role in the team: I’m always trying to help my teammates, be it technically or with their communication. I stay true to myself and just try to play my game. I’ve got huge respect for Toni Kroos, enjoyed spending my summer with him and learned a lot from him.
... Angelo Stiller and Aleksander Pavlovic: They haven’t got much left to learn from a footballing perspective. They’re great lads and fantastic players. They’re very pleasant additions to the group and are definitely on the right track.
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Germany Men’s national team are about to get their UEFA Nations League campaign underway. On the eve of their first fixture against Hungary in Düsseldorf on Saturday (20:45 CEST), national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann and midfielder Pascal Groß spoke about the game and about their goals for the coming months.
Julian Nagelsmann on...
... the opposition: We can’t expect the same exact opposition we faced at the EUROs. Hungary will look to get forward, so ultimately, it is up to us as to how far we can push our opponents back. We’ve got a different starting XI, but we haven’t got a completely different squad. Therefore, it’s not a radical change, so it won’t take us long to ramp it up.
... his expectations: Ideally, the way we play will lead to a good result. The first game after the EUROs is very important, to carry on our momentum and for the fans. We haven’t consciously done anything too different, because the players have just gone through pre-season training and so their heads are already full of new ideas. We’ve had very little time to train together, so it’s about consolidating the things we did before. I want to see the same enthusiasm to win games.
... the starting XI: Pascal Groß will play, but he’s not playing the Toni Kroos role; he’s playing the Pascal Groß role. Niclas Füllkrug will come in for Ilkay Gündogan, but it won’t be a like-for-like swap. Every player should do what they can do well. Kai Havertz will drop back into midfield a little more but depending on how the game goes we may go with two up top. We’re very flexible.
... the players who have retired from international football: We’ve lost four experienced players who were really important for us. But change also brings an opportunity for other players who were perhaps behind them in the pecking order. Naturally, I was sad when the quartet said they were retiring, but that’s sometimes part of football.
... Pascal Groß: He’s not only very secure on the ball, but he’s also very creative, even when it comes to playing it in behind. He’s not afraid to receive the ball, and he’s got a very good eye on the pitch. It’s fun to chat with him because he’s football mad. He’s also got a very good self-understanding. He’s an important person in the squad for many of the players, and he tries to guide the lads when he’s not on the pitch.
Pascal Groß on...
... seeing everyone again after the EUROs: I think it was great for everyone to return to home base. It brought back a lot of memories, and we were pleased to see each other again. We’ve had a good focus on the pitch and have prepared well, so we’re ready for the game.
... his role in the team: I’m always trying to help my teammates, be it technically or with their communication. I stay true to myself and just try to play my game. I’ve got huge respect for Toni Kroos, enjoyed spending my summer with him and learned a lot from him.
... Angelo Stiller and Aleksander Pavlovic: They haven’t got much left to learn from a footballing perspective. They’re great lads and fantastic players. They’re very pleasant additions to the group and are definitely on the right track.
