The German national team will travel to Thessaloniki for Sunday’s UEFA Nations League match against Greece without Serge Gnabry. The 31-year-old Bayern Munich forward, who served as captain during the team’s victory over Serbia on Thursday, departed the national team’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach on Friday afternoon, according to reports from sport1.de and t-online.de.
Roster adjustments for the trip to Thessaloniki
The decision to exclude Gnabry follows a logistical constraint regarding the squad size. While head coach Jürgen Klopp had 24 players in camp following the 2:0 win against Serbia in Munich, UEFA regulations for Nations League group stage matches limit the matchday roster to 20 outfield players and three goalkeepers. As a result, the team will travel to Greece with a 23-man squad, as confirmed by the German Football Association (DFB).
In Gnabry’s place, newcomer Felix Keidel of SV Elversberg has been added to the matchday squad. Keidel, who did not feature in the lineup against Serbia, provides versatility as he is capable of playing in defensive midfield as well as on both flanks, sportschau.de reported. The team is scheduled to hold an official final training session at the facilities of DFB partner Adidas in Herzogenaurach on Saturday morning before departing for Greece in the afternoon.
Klopp manages Gnabry's workload after injury return
Having recently returned from a significant muscle injury that sidelined him for the World Cup, Gnabry had been the only player to feature in all three of Germany’s Nations League matches under Klopp’s tenure. During Thursday’s match against Serbia, he wore the captain’s armband in the absence of Joshua Kimmich.
Klopp had substituted Gnabry at halftime against Serbia, citing “Belastungssteuerung” (workload management) as the primary reason for the move. Despite the substitution, Klopp publicly praised Gnabry’s performance in that match. Following Gnabry’s exit, Florian Wirtz, who took over the captaincy for the second half of the Serbia game, is now the most experienced player in the squad with 47 international appearances, sportschau.de noted. Bild reported that Wirtz is currently the primary candidate to lead the team as captain in Sunday’s encounter.
Strategic planning for the final match
The upcoming match in Thessaloniki serves as a chance for Germany to seek retribution for their 0:1 loss to Greece in the reverse fixture. The team’s preparation for the second week of this international break was outlined by Klopp during the announcement of his initial, expanded squad. According to FCBinside, the coaching staff had planned for players recovering from long-term injuries to remain with the team for the full two-week period to regain rhythm, with deployment adjusted based on their physical condition.
While Gnabry was originally part of this plan, his departure leaves a vacancy in the offensive lineup. With Jamal Musiala also having left the camp earlier due to injury, the team is looking toward other options to fill the void. T-online.de suggested that 18-year-old Lennart Karl could be a candidate to take Gnabry’s spot in the starting eleven, as the youngster did not play against Serbia.
Frequently asked questions about the DFB roster
Why was Serge Gnabry released from the squad?
Gnabry was released to comply with UEFA’s matchday squad limit of 23 players. Although he had been part of the team for all three previous Nations League matches, the coaching staff opted to reduce the roster size for the final away game against Greece, according to DFB announcements cited by sport1.de.
Who is replacing Gnabry in the matchday squad?
Felix Keidel from SV Elversberg has been called up to the matchday squad for the game in Thessaloniki. Keidel is a versatile player who can operate in the defensive midfield or as a full-back, as reported by sportschau.de.
Is there a designated captain for the match in Greece?
While an official announcement regarding the captaincy for Sunday has not been finalized, Florian Wirtz is considered the leading candidate for the role. Wirtz assumed the captain’s duties after substituting for Gnabry during the second half of the match against Serbia, according to Bild and t-online.de.
Final preparations
The German national team will face Greece on Sunday at 20:45 local time (18:45 UTC). The squad will finalize their tactical preparations during Saturday’s training session in Herzogenaurach before the flight to Thessaloniki, where they aim to conclude the current international period with a result against the group leaders.
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