Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp is set to make two changes for the decisive Nations League match against the Netherlands.
After a 3-1 win in Serbia, Klopp has no reason for major alterations but is expected to adjust his lineup.
Nico Schlotterbeck is likely to return to his regular spot in central defense next to Jonathan Tah. In goal, Marc-André ter Stegen will start again. On the left side of the back four, Nathaniel Brown could replace Maximilian Mittelstädt, who has been solid but is seen as the less technically gifted option.
“That’s crazy,” Klopp said of Brajan Gruda’s impressive solo goal, which convinced him to keep the newcomer in the team. Derry Scherhant is expected to start on the left wing, with Said El Mala as the alternative. Kai Havertz remains the first-choice striker, ahead of Younes Ebnoutalib and Niclas Füllkrug.
A win against the Netherlands is sufficient for Germany to qualify for the quarter-finals. Klopp, who is looking forward to this “final” as he put it, will likely rely on Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic in the midfield behind Florian Wirtz.
In other sports news, ice hockey captain Moritz Müller is approaching two major milestones. On Thursday, the 40-year-old will celebrate his birthday, and shortly before and after that, he is set to achieve major sporting accomplishments.
Against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg, Müller will play his 1200th DEL game, tying him with his long-time club and defensive partner Mirko Lüdemann at the top of the league’s all-time list. The following Friday, Müller, who has played exclusively for Cologne since 2004, could surpass Lüdemann’s record in a game against Red Bull Munich.
“I believe I had to make all those experiences. Otherwise, it might not have turned out the way it is today,” Müller said in a video on the Kölner Haie website. “Therefore, I would not give my younger self a specific tip. I would just say: ‘Go for it, boy’.”
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