European Championship round of sixteen - Dortmund myth: Füllkrug relies on a "white wall"
Fan-Favorite Niclas Füllkrug invokes the myth of the Dortmund Wall, despite it appearing differently in color during the National Team's EURO appearance. "I hope we can make the Yellow Wall white," declared local hero Füllkrug before the Round of 16 match on Saturday evening (21.00 Uhr/ZDF and MagentaTV). The DFB team, as tournament host, places even more emphasis on the home advantage in the Dortmund football temple and its unique home crowd factor.
DFB sports director Rudi Völler reported: "Our goal from the start was to finish first in the group and play in Dortmund, no matter who against." The loud support from the fans is expected to boost the team of Julian Nagelsmann formally into the next round. "Now it's knockout system, now it counts. We want to get to the quarterfinals," said Völler.
Rüdiger ready: First Adilettens, then football shoes
Before the DFB troop was to fly from Nuremberg to the venue for the first time on Friday, final details of the Denmark match plan were being worked on in Herzogenaurach. However, the TV cameras and photo objectives were mainly focused on one man during the final training session: Antonio Rüdiger. The defensive chief participated in the warm-up on the field without a bandage on his right thigh and without apparent problems.
However, only the warm-up phase was observed by the media - and that's not about two-on-one battles, sprint duels, or 100% actions. Rüdiger strolled casually in Adilettens towards the training ground, then kicked a little in football shoes with Jamal Musiala, Ilkay Gündogan, and Jonathan Tah before the final training unit began. The decision on Rüdiger's participation will likely be made by Nagelsmann on the day of the game.
DFB posts "victory photo" on social media channels
The DFB has not yet spoken publicly about the Danes, but only to the team. In secret, the 36-year-old coach has been pondering tactics and personnel. "We know what we want to do against Denmark," revealed Nico Schlotterbeck. He will replace the suspended Jonathan Tah in central defense. The backup will be Rüdiger. Or EM newcomer Waldemar Anton, who did not get a minute of playing time in the group stage.
The second major lineup question next to Rüdiger is likely to stir up fans even more. Does Nagelsmann bring on his top joker Füllkrug for the first time from the start? For Kai Havertz, who is playing his 50th national team game? Or even together with Havertz?
Arguments for Füllkrug, but also Havertz
There are good arguments for each option. In the end, the coach decides how he handles Füllkrug, after the fan favorite made a strong case for himself with the last-minute header against Switzerland. "That little emotional explosion moment was not entirely wrong," Nagelsmann remarked on Füllkrug's header in Frankfurt for the 1:1. So far, the coach has stuck to his role principle consistently during the home tournament.
In any case, we need good offensive solutions against the strong Danish team. "They are a very physically demanding, robust team that makes it difficult for every opponent to create chances. Incredibly header-strong - a dangerous opponent", Voeller judged. However, the sports director also clarified his own ambition: "We have the optimism and self-confidence that we want to advance to the next round."
Spain, France, Portugal and the bracket
And of course, the gaze goes secretly to the next bracket. The great European Championship test for the unbeaten, but also winless Danes is still not over. That would be a quarterfinal match in Stuttgart against the Spaniards, the only team that won all three group stage games.
After that, a possible semi-final in Munich against France or Portugal could be on the way to the EM final in Berlin. Voeller resisted looking too far ahead: "We are all doing well to focus only on the round of 16 for now."
A knockout stage match is new territory for many actors in the German squad, not to mention the young national team coach. "The law of the tournament is that the opponents tend to get stronger", Nagelsmann said. The best way to follow the advice of football expert Voeller, who as a player and DFB team manager knows about the special pressure of win-or-lose games, and who therefore also has a solution ready: "You just have to function."
- The DFB team, hoping to leverage the home advantage, looked forward to playing in the formidable Dortmund football temple, known as the Yellow Wall.
- Before departing from Nuremberg for their first match venue on Friday, the team was finalizing their strategy against Denmark, with the media mainly focusing on Antonio Rüdiger's participation.
- In Herzogenaurach, Niko Schlotterbeck revealed that he would replace the suspended Jonathan Tah in central defense, with Rüdiger as a potential backup or EM debutant Waldemar Anton as another option.
- Fan-favorite Niclas Füllkrug, invoking the myth of the Dortmund Wall, declared his wish for the crowd to turn it white prior to the Round of 16 match.
- The DFB team, as tournament hosts, placed significant emphasis on the home crowd factor, with Rudi Völler stating that they had aimed to finish first in the group and play in Dortmund since the start.
- With a potential appearance in the EM quarterfinals, Germany would face a strong Danish team, known for its physicality, robustness, and header strength, according to Rudi Völler.
- The 36-year-old coach Rudi Völler held a tight lid on tactics and personnel discussions for the Denmark match, with Füllkrug, Havertz, and a possible duo of the two being potential offensive solutions.
- In Germany's home tournament, Nagelsmann has consistently followed his role principle, demonstrating the importance of strategy and teamwork, but may consider introducing fan-favorite Füllkrug as a joker to boost the team's offensive capabilities.
- James Rodriguez, who recently signed for the Red Bull Leipzig, may be an option for the DFB team moving forward, according to Rudi Völler, as he targets ambitious challenges and building a successful team, even in the knockout stage.
- The quarterfinals would hold new territory for many players in the German squad, including the young coach Julian Nagelsmann, who would need to keep his focus on the present while facing the pressure of win-or-lose games.
- Kai Havertz, set to reach his 50th national team game, has good arguments to start in the lineup against Denmark, but fan-favorite Füllkrug's last-minute header against Switzerland has given the coach more to consider.
- Rudi Völler issued a solution, inspired by his experiences as a player and DFB team manager, to Navigate the unique challenges of the knockout stage: "You just have to function."
