Former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is riding high after his German national team dismantled Hungary 5-0 on Saturday.
However, the coach knows that the Netherlands will be a major test on Tuesday.
“The Dutch team is better equipped individually than Hungary. They have a lot of talent, including the substitute players. I expect the stadium to be sold out tomorrow. The atmosphere will be great, everything in orange. It’s a nice colour to look at. We’re looking forward to it,” said Nagelsmann (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “Our idea is not to change everything. There are certainly things we can do similarly [as against Hungary]. But it’s a different opponent with a different playing style.”
When asked if Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović could be one of the few changes that could be made to the lineup, Nagelsmann did not discount the notion.
“Pavlo could start. But first we will watch the final training and the final practice match. Then we will decide this evening,” Nagelsmann remarked.
One trump card that could affect Nagelsmann’s lineup selections is the healthy of Niclas Fullkrug. The striker had to leave training issue with an issue per Sky Sport journalist Kerry Hau:
Bitter for the DFB team: Niclas Füllkrug (problems with his Achilles tendon and calf) had to abandon the final training session in Amsterdam after just a quarter of an hour. It is therefore very unlikely that the striker will play against the Netherlands.
Finally, Nagelsmann said that Marc-André ter Stegen has moved past the disappointment he had when notified he would sit behind Manuel Neuer at the EURO 2024 tournament.
“He is a very important player for us because he’s been playing for FC Barcelona for years, is the captain there and of course also brings quality to the goalkeeping game. The conversation we had with him in March was not particularly pleasant. He acted politely, but he was unhappy. I was afraid that he would say he would not be not available at all. I could have understood it because he’s been #2 for too long. I just hope he stays healthy,” said Nagelsmann.
In case you missed it, France Football left Jamal Musiala out of their Ballon d’Or top 30, which has sparked anger among the Bayern Munich fanbase and executives alike. If you want to know why it’s such a big deal, we covered it in our newest podcast episode, alongside a discussion about Florian Wirtz vs Paul Wanner and whom Bayern Munich should get first. Listen to it below or on Spotify.
