The German U21 footballers don’t want to let Kosovo and Israel stop them on the way to the 2025 European Championship finals in Slovakia.
“The big goal is to get six points, leave the field with victories and keep the gap to the competitors at least the same,” said national coach Antonio Di Salvo before the two games in the European Championship qualification.
The German team led by striker Youssoufa Moukoko, which has won all four games so far, is at the top of its qualifying group. Like Germany, Poland has twelve points, but has played one game more.
Germany’s U21 plays in Chemnitz and Halle/Saale
On Friday (March 22, 2024, 6 p.m.) the DFB selection will meet Kosovo in Chemnitz, before the game against Israel in Halle/Saale on March 26 (6 p.m.). The Israelis have only played three games because of the Gaza war.
Match four follows on Thursday (5.30 p.m.) in Jena against Poland. Di Salvo said he wouldn’t be going there himself, “but we’ll definitely follow the game.”
The away game of the German U21 team in Israel scheduled for October 17th was canceled last year. It is now expected to be rescheduled for September. The venue is not known, but the game will not be played in Israel.
Di Salvo has three new guys with him
All players in his squad arrived at the team hotel in Leipzig healthy, said Di Salvo: “All thumbs are up,” said the coach. Umut Tohumcu (TSG Hoffenheim), Jens Castrop (1. FC Nürnberg) and Armindo Sieb (SpVgg Greuther Fürth) are new.
Adeyemi not nominated
In contrast to his Dortmund club colleague Moukoko, Karim Adeyemi is again not part of the U21 team. In October, the offensive player played for the youth national team.
In November, the 22-year-old resigned, citing his focus at the club. This caused an upset. This time that doesn’t seem to be the case. Di Salvo said he had “good conversations” with the player and those responsible at Dortmund: “We have collectively decided that it is better that Karim stays at home.”
After a torn syndesmosis ligament and muscular problems, the “very talented player with incredible qualities” is not yet 100 percent fit. In addition, the offensive players did very well in November.
