Unanticipated actions by DFB personnel are sparking frustration.
Manuel Neuer is no longer in the picture, Marc-André ter Stegen seriously injured: The future of Germany's national football team's goalkeeper position is unclear. Coach Julian Nagelsmann has brought in Janis Blaswich as the third-choice keeper. Some experts find this selection peculiar.
It was believed that the goalkeeper issue in the German national team would sort itself out: Perennial starter Manuel Neuer is indeed gone, and his replacement Marc-André ter Stegen is severely injured. Long-time squad member Kevin Trapp is currently sidelined as well. This leaves head coach Julian Nagelsmann with limited options. Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel were sure picks for the Nations League. But who would be the third man? Bernd Leno from FC Fulham seemed like the obvious choice. Constant exposure to top-tier players in the Premier League made him the ideal candidate.
However, things didn't turn out as expected. Leno is out, and instead, Janis Blaswich makes the cut. The 33-year-old, currently on loan from RB Leipzig to Red Bull Salzburg, is the undisputed starter there and plays in the Champions League. This impressive run convinced Nagelsmann to include him. Blaswich had also impressed when he was with the A-team earlier. Nagelsmann called him the "perfect fit" as the third choice. However, many experts disagree. The decision is causing a stir. Ex-national player and TV expert Lothar Matthäus, for instance, finds it surprising.
"This is quite unexpected for me," Matthäus told RTL/ntv and sport.de. "I didn't have him on my radar. He didn't deliver the standout performances at Salzburg that he did at RB Leipzig. I was actually expecting Bernd Leno, as Trapp is still injured." Matthäus deemed Leno the more experienced choice for the national coach.
Former European champion and long-time functionary Fredi Bobic was even more critical of the nomination. "Bernd Leno is completely absent. I can't fathom why he's not there," Bobic said on Sky. "The mix I see now doesn't appeal to me at all." Former national goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller also found the coach's decision puzzling. "Bernd Leno has the most international experience in my opinion. It's quite surprising that he's not even in contention now. For me, Bernd Leno is definitely a national goalkeeper who should be included in the squad."
A possible reason for Leno's omission: He is reportedly not on good terms with Ter Stegen. Ter Stegen is expected to return to the number one spot once he's fully recovered, as Nagelsmann confirmed: "He has all the time he needs to recover completely." For now, the goalkeeping battle is between Baumann and Nübel. Nagelsmann promised the Hoffenheim veteran his first national team appearance after a long wait: "Olli had a fantastic start with many impressive games in the Bundesliga and the Europa League. He deserves a chance in the national team." However, the situation is uncertain: "We don't know 100% yet if both will play." Nübel, currently on loan from Bayern to Stuttgart, might get his chance in Munich against Netherlands.
Despite Bernd Leno's impressive performance in the Premier League, he was excluded from the German national team, and Janis Blaswich was chosen instead. This decision has sparked controversy among experts, with former national player Lothar Matthäus stating that he did not expect Blaswich to be selected.
Despite the controversy, head coach Julian Nagelsmann remains confident in his choice, citing Blaswich's impressive run at Red Bull Salzburg and his past performances with the A-team. The future of Germany's national football team's goalkeeper position continues to be a topic of discussion, with many questioning the exclusion of Bernd Leno, who is currently on loan from FC Fulham to RB Leipzig. [DFB]
