Julian Nagelsmann wants to stabilize the defense in the next international matches. Because Mats Hummels plays a key role, the 34-year-old is not canceling.
On Sunday, Mats Hummels was still just a peripheral figure when the world champion went to the lawn of the Frankfurt Arena and later into the catacombs during the NFL guest appearance in the presence of Leon Goretzka.
The footballers seemed almost lost in the shadow of the footballers. But on Monday (November 13th, 2023), the 34-year-old was in demand again when he signed some autographs at the meeting point of the German national team in the hotel near the Frankfurt trade fair.
Mats Hummels plays a key role
The demand for his back generated the same message that Hummels had previously spread on his social media. He will need “two or three days” before his body should function again. Others might have canceled the international matches against Turkey in Berlin (Saturday 8:45 p.m., live in the audio stream) and against Austria in Vienna (November 21, 2023, live in the audio stream).
But serving for the DFB selection has recently become very important to the Borussia Dortmund defender, as Julian Nagelsmann treats him as a central figure. In the new coach’s debut against the USA (3-1), Hummels played his 77th international match. Afterwards against Mexico (2:2), the returnee sat on the bench, Antonio Rüdiger and Niklas Süle formed the central defense, with Hummels’ club colleague Süle in particular not looking good when conceding goals.
The defense should tackle better
Now the national coach has written on the syllabus: “Our worksite is stable defense, we want to achieve that now.” With an average age of well over 28 years, his squad combines a lot of routine, but does not yet stand out for its stability – that is one thing we learned from the trip to the USA.
For a successful performance at the European Championship home tournament, the defense has to work better, says Nagelsmann. His boys don’t have to tackle like the strong guys from the NFL clubs, but more robust defensive behavior can’t hurt.
Grischa Prömel replaces Felix Nmecha
The national coach responded to the injury-related cancellation of Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund/hip problems) on Monday by calling up Grischa Prömel for the first time (“A dream comes true”) – both of them know each other from their time together at TSG Hoffenheim. And at 28, this debutant is also the ideal Nagelsmann age. Robin Gosens (Union Berlin) and Malick Thiaw (AC Milan) had previously canceled because new talent was on the way.
At the beginning of an international match, changes in the squad are normal – especially in the highly stressful phase in the autumn – but Nagelsmann wants to put the framework together on the DFB campus now when they train together for the first time on Tuesday morning. The duels against Turkey and Austria are intended to strengthen the framework.
The coach indicated that it could happen that some players are not used at all. Players were invited at the risk “that one or the other might not play a game at all.” For example, as much as Marvin Ducksch (Werder Bremen) is happy about being nominated and seeing Niclas Füllkrug (Borussia Dortmund), it is not so likely that the two “ugly birds” will start off in a duet in DFB uniforms. The question of what happens to Joshua Kimmich seems much more exciting anyway.
Manuel Neuer presents the game ball
Jonathan Tah can also close the permanent construction site at right back – especially with his form at Bayer Leverkusen – but the all-rounder from FC Bayern would be the stronger solution. Kimmich didn’t want to say anything when he arrived at the futuristic skyscraper high-rise between the festival hall and the Senckenberg Museum.
Nobody should misinterpret the fact that Manuel Neuer wasn’t there. The DFB supplier hired him to present the European Championship match ball at the Berlin Olympic Stadium on Wednesday. The 37-year-old is the first to hold the object of desire of all goalkeepers in his hands. Does this leading role have anything to say for the 2024 European Championship?
