Di Salvo: Readiness as the "key to success"
Coach Antonio Di Salvo gave his U21 national team a clear mission at the end of the season. "First of all, the attitude to the game is important for me, the willingness to work at the back, to play compactly," said Di Salvo. "I believe that's the key to success." In only the third meeting of the squad, not all things and processes could be perfect.
The German U21s, who were eliminated in the group stage at the European Championship finals in the summer, will be hoping for a successful end to the year. After the match against Estonia, the DFB team will face Poland in Essen on Tuesday. Di Salvo is aiming for two wins with the team led by goalscorer Youssoufa Moukoko. That would mean top spot in the table. Poland lead the table, but have also played one game more than the German team.
"Poland is certainly the more difficult opponent. But it won't be easy against Estonia either. We will have to push ourselves to the limit in both games in order to win," said Rocco Reitz from Gladbach. At first glance, Estonia is not a difficult test. Their most recent defeat was 5-0 against Poland. Di Salvo warned that the team had also played some close games before that.
"We will need top performances against both teams to win and must not underestimate anyone in the group. But we're here together to win both games," said Salzburg defender Leandro Morgalla. "It would then do everyone good to go into the longer break with a positive feeling."
Morgalla is hoping for his second U21 international match. Team-mate Ansgar Knauff is a veteran in the team with twelve appearances. "First of all, we'll concentrate on the Estonia game," said the Frankfurt player. "It's important that we're there from the very first second."
The nine group winners and the three best group runners-up will qualify for the finals, which will take place in Slovakia in 2025. The six remaining group runners-up will compete in play-offs to determine the last three finalists.
The U21 national team, managed by Di Salvo, is preparing for their match against Estonia, aiming to secure a win to maintain their position in the qualification for the U21 European Championship (EM). Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko leads the team, and a victory would put them at the top of the table, as Poland, their main competitor, has played one game more.
During the press conference, Leandro Morgalla, a Salzburg defender, emphasized the importance of top performances against both Estonia and Poland, emphasizing that they must not underestimate any team in the group. Morgalla also mentioned that a positive result in these two games would boost their morale before the longer break.
In the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund player Ansgar Knauff, who has twelve appearances for the U21 team, highlighted the importance of starting strongly against Estonia, ensuring they maintain their focus and commitment throughout the game.
Source: www.dpa.com
