Di Salvo warns against Poland: "Little things decide"
The German U21 national team can once again count on Mönchengladbach's professional footballer Luca Netz for the European Championship qualifier against Poland.
"The entire squad is available. Luca Netz wasn't feeling particularly well due to a cold, but he has made a full recovery in the last few days. So all the players are fit for the clash against Poland," said coach Antonio Di Salvo. His team will face group leaders Poland in Essen.
"Poland are the strongest opponents in the group and have deserved to win all their games so far. The Polish team is very well organized on the pitch and is physically strong, which is why they have only conceded one goal in the European Championship qualifiers so far," said Di Salvo. "They've also bolstered the squad with players who have already gained experience in the senior team. It will definitely be a great task for us. Little things, like individual duels, will decide the game."
Poland top the group
After the 4:1 win against Estonia, the coach left the starting eleven open to change. "Anything is possible. The players who played against Estonia did well. As a coaching team, we have the task of putting together a starting eleven that we feel best about," said the 44-year-old. "Our aim is to establish good stability against a strong Polish team."
Poland lead the group with four wins from four games, while Germany are second with three wins from three games. With another win, the DFB team would overtake Poland, as the direct comparison counts in the event of a tie. Two years ago, U21 national coach Di Salvo and his team suffered a bitter home defeat. Poland won 4:0 on that occasion.
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.
- Luca Netz, a proficient footballer from Mönchengladbach, is set to feature for the German U21 team in their EM qualifier against Poland, as coach Antonio Di Salvo confirmed his squad's full availability for the clash.
- In the ongoing EM qualifiers, Poland, led by players with senior team experience, remains the group leader with four consecutive victories, while Di Salvo's U21 team is closely following with three wins.
- As Antonio Di Salvo warns that individual duels "will decide the game" against Poland, he emphasizes the need for his team to focus on minute details to clinch the European Championship qualification.
Source: www.dpa.com
