Will there be another Danish sensation against Germany?
The German team and Denmark have played only four mandatory matches so far. In the Euro 2024 soccer championship quarterfinals, they will face each other for the fifth time. Roles are clear: Germany is the favorite. But they were once before and went home with quite a blunder. That was in 1992, when the Danish holidaymakers caused one of the greatest sensations in tournament history. One who was on the field for Denmark back then is striker Flemming Povlsen, who played in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Cologne. In an interview with ntv.de, the now 57-year-old, who works as a TV expert, reveals what Denmark should be most afraid of and why a starting lineup appearance by Niclas Füllkrug would not be a good idea for the German team.
ntv.de: Hello Mr. Povlsen, aren't you excited about the return to the old Westfalenstadion?
Flemming Povlsen: Unfortunately, that won't be the case. Another TV station is broadcasting the game. I'm currently playing against Italy against Switzerland. I would have preferred to be in Dortmund, that would have been great. But that's life. I have good memories of Dortmund and hope that the Danes also have a good time after the game on Saturday!
The Westfalenstadion can indeed be a factor. What does such a temple do to the players?
The Westfalenstadion is the A and O when it comes to excitement. I hope that on Saturday there will be a mood like in the BVB games, where both teams really push each other forward. Soccer needs entertaining games. We always want to say in the end: Man, that was really fun. And such a stadium like in Dortmund, that can always extract the last percentages from the players.
Then we come directly to the question that is currently driving football Germany crazy: Can Denmark really beat the German team?
Given how the first three games have gone for Denmark (Note from the editor: no wins, only three draws and two goals), I believe less in a surprise. But it has always been that way and still is today, that the team is capable of rising above larger opponents. They can always irritate bigger teams. That should be the goal against Germany. You shouldn't let them get into the game. We saw that against Switzerland (Note from the editor: in the last group game). That was a little preview. The Danes play also as a compact unit. Strong from the back, also on the ball. But the further it goes forward, the weaker they become. The defensive organization is clearly the strength of the team.
Should Germany be afraid of the offense then?
We were in a very boring group, in which the teams could not show their qualities, could not create many chances. We have to look and see if we can make it better with a little more courage, risk-taking and one-on-one duels, if we even have the quality for that.
The key player in the team seems to be Christian Eriksen again, who caused quite a scare with his heart attack during the previous EM. What should the Germans be afraid of?*
Yes, he has been taking on a leading role in the team for years. He needs to ensure peace in the squad. However, he also needs to distribute the ball directly, as he plays right behind the forwards. He is not very fast with the ball at his feet and cannot dribble past anyone, that's not his capability. But he plays cleverly, a bit like Toni Kroos, although he was and is much more successful. But they share similar playing and thinking styles. For him, it's all about maintaining peace. We need that.
Morten Hjulmand, a notable midfielder for the Danes, was suspended against Germany. How heavily will the team be affected by his absence?
He was the team's great discovery. He had previously had shorter stints and had integrated himself into the team. He brought new energy and won many duels. He can also handle the ball well, scored a beautiful goal against England. He supported Eriksen and Pierre Emile Højbjerg well, enabling them to better showcase their abilities.
Who can or will replace him, and are there possibly surprises in the lineup?
Christian Nørgaard might join the team. He is one of the players that Coach Kasper Hjulmand trusts. Otherwise, I don't believe changes will be made. Hjulmand has a tight-knit group of players. The goalkeeper will be Kasper Schmeichel, the defense around Jannik Vestergaard, and Rasmus Højlund will continue to play up front, even though he has yet to score a goal.
Why is that? With 65 million Euros, he is the most expensive player in the squad and has been a regular starter at Manchester United in the Premier League, amassing significant and crucial experience.
He has simply not been given a chance yet. He is often alone up front, receives little support, so neither crosses nor good passes. He usually plays with his back to the goal, which gives him different strengths. He needs space, is very fast with the ball at his feet, and offers himself well. Once he gets going, no one can stop him. Then he can be a weapon for us, but he has not had a good cross in the entire tournament yet. And unfortunately, he missed the chance.
There is also much talk around the German team about their strikers. Niclas Füllkrug is pushing for a spot with his goals, Kai Havertz is fighting for his starting position. If you were the German coach, who would you start with?
I would continue to play Havertz, he is a striker who moves a lot. Our defenders might prefer defending against less mobile players. Harry Kane and Aleksandar Mitrovic have hardly seen the ball against our big defenders. If you manage to get Havertz more involved in the game with his technique and vision, then it's definitely the right call to start him from the beginning.
What do the Danes think is the most crucial thing for them to be the surprise team? The Swiss, for example, managed to neutralize Toni Kroos to a great extent.
Of course, the Danes will also focus on Kroos. From a mental and tactical standpoint, we are quite similar. But I'm afraid the German team has something entirely different in store.
What is that?
I'm afraid we have great speed and agility with Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. And of course, we haven't encountered such player types in this tournament yet. England's Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden don't count, as they were both out of form. But it's different with Musiala and Wirtz; they want to show the world and have already done so. The tempo will be the biggest challenge for us. Our players are not fast enough one-on-one, especially when the defense also has to push forward. That's why Denmark will try to keep the spaces tight and fill the holes.
The absence of Germany's main central defenders, Jonathan Tah and Antonio Rüdiger, means that Nico Schlotterbeck and possibly Waldemar Anton will have less experience. They also have weaknesses with the ball. If both play, I see better chances for Denmark. They could capitalize on their speed and possibly create good counter-attacks with Højlund.
The German national team faces the risk of missing its mainstay defenders. Tah is suspended, and Rüdiger is still recovering. What does that mean for Denmark?
Firstly, it means that Schlotterbeck and possibly Anton will have less experience. They also have weaknesses with the ball. Should both play, I see better chances for Denmark. They could capitalize on their speed and possibly create good counter-attacks with Højlund.
In Denmark, people are still debating the true potential of the German team, which somehow doesn't seem to materialize.
They are seen as a very strong team. We in Denmark have great respect for what the DFB team has achieved in this tournament so far. We see their strengths and a team that has grown with their fans. They play with great self-confidence, whereas there were many doubts before. I don't see that anymore. Germany aims to provide an attractive football and dictate the play with the ball. That's very challenging, as you constantly have to create opportunities in tight spaces. But they manage to do so often. And besides, they still have Kimmich. We have hope, but we need a bit of luck and many players performing at their best at the same time. Otherwise, we'll be overrun.
There is also growing criticism in Denmark towards coach Hjulmand, who led the team to the semi-finals three years ago and lost only narrowly to England ...
The team is long and well-prepared. They were the darlings of Europe in 2021. They have created a great euphoria in the country. But they have spent a lot of credit since then, as there have been few inspiring games. The World Cup was disappointing, and in the European Championship qualifiers, there were close wins against San Marino and losses against Kazakhstan, despite overall success. But the people are not satisfied, they are questioning their faith in the team. There are many doubts about the team. This leads to criticism of Hjulmand. The people want to see other players in the national team and more offense. And then there's the communication issue. When two million Danes say "that wasn't good" and the coach says "I see it differently," it creates tension. But he can make things right ...
... if Denmark beats Germany?
Yes, then the world of football will be in order again. Then, every day in Denmark, the sun seems to shine!
You know yourselves how it goes. In 1992, they were part of the great sensation when Denmark beat Germany in the EM final. Is there a tip for the current team that hasn't aged?
To win, you have to shoot on goal!
So how is it going?
A 1:0 lead for Denmark would be my desired outcome. We don't meet often, but we also don't concede many goals.
And Højlund delivers?
Or an own goal!
With Flemming Povlsen spoke Tobias Nordmann.
- The German team might want to pay extra attention to Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen during the Euro 2024 championship quarterfinals, given his ability to maintain peace within the team and distribute the ball effectively, similar to Toni Kroos.
- It would not be advisable for the German team to start striker Niclas Füllkrug in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals against Denmark, as suggested by Flemming Povlsen, due to the potential disruption it could cause to their offensive strategy.
- Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, who have high speed and agility, pose a significant challenge for Denmark's defense in the Euro 2024 championship quarterfinals against Germany, as they have not encountered players of this caliber in the tournament so far.
