European Championship quarter-finals - Germany start against Spain with Can and Sané
The German football national team starts the EM quarter-final against Spain with Leroy Sané and surprisingly also with Emre Can in the starting line-up. National coach Julian Nagelsmann uses Dortmund's Can instead of Robert Andrich from Leverkusen in the defensive midfield for this knockout game in Stuttgart. Sane receives the preference in offense again over young star Florian Wirtz, who is on the bench.
For Can, his speed spoke, explained Nagelsmann shortly before kick-off to MagentaTV. "He is one of the fastest players in the squad", said Nagelsmann, who did not want to speak of a "paradigm shift". "We have nominated 13 players who have received more playing time than the others", said Nagelsmann.
Jonathan Tah returns to the defensive center after his yellow card suspension. David Raum starts again as left defender and is supposed to stop the 16-year-old Spanish youngster Lamine Yamal. The German team is led again by captain Ilkay Gündogan. For the 34-year-old Toni Kroos, it would be his last football game of his career if Germany exits. The Spanish team starts with the proven top eleven without Leipzig's Dani Olmo.
"We will not hide, but actively defend", said Nagelsmann. "I believe that we are not weaker on any position, we are absolutely on eye level."
- Despite Robert Andrich's strong performance for Leverkusen, National coach Julian Nagelsmann decided to field Emre Can in the defensive midfield for Germany's EM quarter-final against Spain.
- Born in Baden-Württemberg, Florian Wirtz was unexpectedly left on the bench for the national soccer team's crucial game against Spain, with Leroy Sané starting in his place.
- With Toni Kroos possibly playing his last game, the responsibility of leading Germany fell once again on Ilkay Gündogan during the EM quarter-final.
- Julian Nagelsmann, the national coach, praised Emre Can's speed before the game against Spain, stating that he was one of the fastest players in the German squad.
- Because of his yellow card suspension, Jonathan Tah returned to Germany's defensive center for the EM quarter-final against Spain, while David Raum resumed his position as the left defender to mark Spain's young player Lamine Yamal.
- Emre Can's inclusion in Germany's starting line-up for their EM quarter-final against Spain was not a "paradigm shift," according to Julian Nagelsmann, who claimed that 13 players in the German national team had received more playing time than others.
- Dortmund's Emre Can benefited from an injury to Leverkusen's Robert Andrich for a place in the German national team's starting line-up against Spain, as Leon Goretzka was also absent due to injury.
- In Stuttgart, the German football national team aimed to be on equal footing with Spain in every position, as Julian Nagelsmann expressed his belief that they would not hide but actively defend against their quarter-final opponents.
