Nagelsmann examines European Championship hopefuls with wobbly prospects.
It's a toss-up for Leon Goretzka, Mats Hummels, and Nico Schlotterbeck: Julian Nagelsmann is set to reveal his preliminary European Championship team next week, and the contenders on the edge are given one last opportunity to shine. The manager must also consider alternatives for those who are injured.
Nagelsmann is laid-back. The national coach won't be dashing between stadiums this weekend. The majority of his provisional European Championship team is already finalized - and Nagelsmann prefers to ponder the borderline cases in private.
On May 16, Nagelsmann will unveil his decisions to the eager audience at partner VW in Berlin. Will Nagelsmann recompense Dortmund's fantastic Champions League performance? Will Bayern's Leon Goretzka, who's ruled out, make the team despite his absence? And does he have any surprises up his sleeve for the home tournament?
The BVB players have caused a buzz. Is Nagelsmann truly only going to summon striker Niclas Fullkrug from the premier league finalists, as he did for the victorious March internationals? It's tough to imagine that for Mats Hummels. The central defender is still vying for a nomination himself, but has also been lobbying for his teammate Nico Schlotterbeck. "If he ends up in the squad, I'll almost be as thrilled as if I'm selected," said Hummels.
Nagelsmann remains unfazed by the controversy. Following the victories against World Cup runners-up France (2-0) and arch-rivals the Netherlands (2-1), he believes the national team is on the right path for the desired summer fairytale 2.0. He selected based purely on performance and included some up-and-comers from VfB Stuttgart. He also allocated specific roles for each player in the squad. It's difficult to believe he'll scrap everything now. But will he seriously overlook Schlotterbeck or Hummels and choose Robin Koch from Eintracht Frankfurt instead?
Former DFB captain Michael Ballack said on MagentaTV that Nagelsmann has a "great responsibility to find the right players - not necessarily the best - who also work well with the other players." Nagelsmann must "find specifically this group that fits together in these four weeks." RTL expert Lothar Matthäus thinks Goretzka is a "fifty-fifty decision" and remarked, "Dissatisfied players disturb the atmosphere, Julian Nagelsmann will certainly avoid that." The issue of Serge Gnabry has been settled due to a torn muscle bundle.
Nagelsmann can select a maximum of 26 players for the tournament (June 14 to July 14). He must announce his final squad to the European Football Union (UEFA) a few hours after the European Championship dress rehearsal against Greece in Mönchengladbach on June 7. Nagelsmann has recently preferred not to use all the spots. "I'm generally more in favor of 23, but I understand the arguments for 26," he said in April.
However, at least 26 players are set to attend the training camp in Weimarer Land (May 26-31). Nagelsmann must be able to adjust to sudden absences due to injuries. Munich's Leroy Sané has been struggling with pubic bone problems for weeks, which is why a few of them feel they still have a chance. Goretzka and the rest can showcase themselves once again this weekend. After all, the last impression counts. And Nagelsmann will also be keeping an eye on the action on TV.
Read also:
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- The calm before the upheaval: Nagelsmann's European Championship plans
Source: www.ntv.de
