DFB defensive boss Rüdiger sends good signals
Coach Julian Nagelsmann hopes for a appearance of defensive chief Antonio Rüdiger in the EM-Quarterfinal against Denmark. Rüdiger was at least present at the closing training in Herzogenaurach with a smile on his face after his thigh strain and joked during the warm-up with Jamal Musiala. No problems were noticeable for him during the initial drills, although only the first 15 minutes of the session were visible to the media.
In the past few days, Rüdiger received intensive treatment and only participated in running exercises. For the DFB-Selection, his involvement in Dortmund on Saturday (21 hours on ZDF and MagentaTV as well as in the live ticker at ntv.de) is crucial. Nagelsmann will already have to do without Rüdiger's yellow-card suspended teammate Jonathan Tah. Nico Schlotterbeck will replace Tah in the squad, Waldemar Anton is ready as a backup for Rüdiger.
Apart from the question mark next to Rüdiger and Tah's absence, Nagelsmann can also field a full squad in the fourth tournament game. Exciting is whether in the attack possibly Top-Asset Niclas Füllkrug might be able to play from the start for the first time. During the training, midfielder Robert Andrich particularly caught the eye with a new hair color. The mixture was not entirely clear. Blond? Platinum? Just like once with Bastian Schweinsteiger, before he naturally turned grey in his young years. However, Andrich was not the only national player who visited the barber. Toni Kroos and Kai Havertz had noticeably shortened their sides.
Barbers and football professionals, that's a long-discussed topic. Emre Can had clarified the matter regarding the short haircuts of today's footballers, stating that regular cuts are simply necessary. "Everyone wants to look fresh," said the Dortmund player. Andrich, Kroos and Havertz look very fresh before the fourth German tournament game.
Rüdiger's participation in Germany's EM-Quarterfinal against Denmark, scheduled for the European Football Championship 2024, is highly anticipated by coach Julian Nagelsmann. The DFB's national soccer team relies heavily on Rüdiger, especially considering the suspension of his teammate Jonathan Tah.
