Following their opening draw in the Netherlands, the German national team are preparing for their first home game of the Nations League campaign.
Ahead of Sunday’s match against Greece in Augsburg, Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp and centre-back Jonathan Tah faced the media at the pre-match press conference. Here are the key takeaways.
Looking back on Germany’s opening Nations League game, Klopp said the team had taken plenty of valuable information from the 2-2 draw in Amsterdam.
“We took an incredible amount of information and learned a lot. We saw that whenever we defended collectively, we had some really strong defensive moments. We won the ball in good areas, which then led to some promising counter-attacking opportunities.
“We had some problems dealing with the Netherlands’ right side. But we also had some really good moments in possession. Of course, there weren’t enough of them, and not as many as we want to have going forward. Still, those positive moments with the ball were there, and we showed them to the players.”
Klopp also underlined the quality of a Greek side he believes is developing rapidly under its current coach.
“They have a lot of good players and a very good generation. It might even be their golden generation. They are very impressive. The analysis was very interesting, and you can clearly see the development of the Greek team under their coach.
“They have a lot of quality in attack and are a very good team overall. They work extremely hard, and we have a lot of respect for Greece.
“We will have to work very hard if we want to win. Greek football is in a very good place at the moment, and a lot of things are moving in the right direction.
“We want to find ways to make it difficult for Greece to impose their style of play. But, of course, that won’t always be possible.”
The Germany head coach said the team had used the final training sessions to work both on their own game and on the specific demands posed by Greece.
“Yesterday we had a really good session with the players who either didn’t play or only played a few minutes. Today’s session was also extremely important because it allowed us to prepare for a new opponent, work on their patterns of play and reinforce our own.
“We need to build on what worked well and continue developing it. That’s what we’ll try to do.”
With limited preparation time, Klopp explained that Germany are focusing on the overall structure of their game while making sure their defensive work gives the team freedom to attack.
“We always work on the complete package, but given the limited amount of time, you have to set priorities.
“Everything we do defensively helps us create the foundation for taking a certain amount of risk in attack. Step by step, we’re trying to prepare ourselves for every type of football.
“When you start something new, you have to adjust everything until it fits. Against the Netherlands, you saw certain patterns that simply couldn’t have been fully developed in our team yet, because I made quite a few changes to the squad.
“But it’s incredibly enjoyable working with these players. We have a lot of meetings and we’re trying a lot of things. Ultimately, though, the games are what matter.
“We’ve done our analysis, but how Greece will actually play tomorrow is something we’ll only see then.”
Klopp confirmed that Alexander Nübel will be given the nod in goal, while defending Marc-André ter Stegen after criticism of his performance against the Netherlands.
“I heard something that genuinely surprised me: that Marc-André ter Stegen was being criticised. That’s very unusual in a game where the opposing coach said our goalkeeper had saved us.
“Marc made outstanding saves. Twice, while the opponent were in possession, he prevented them from playing the ball where they wanted or were supposed to. That happens. But I don’t see that as something negative.
“I’m very, very pleased with his performance. Alex will still get his opportunity tomorrow, and not because of anything Marc did. He has earned it because all three goalkeepers have made a sensational impression here.
“I hope Alex enjoys the game tomorrow and keeps a clean sheet.”
With Kai Havertz having left the squad, Klopp said Jonathan Burkardt was the immediate option to fill the gap, while also looking forward to the arrival of Nick Woltemade.
“Jonny [Burkardt] was the first option when Kai [Havertz] had to leave, but I’m also really looking forward to Nick [Woltemade] joining us on Monday.
“Jonny was more or less right around the corner, and I really like him as a player. Overall, I would say we’re in a very comfortable position when it comes to our strikers.
“And beyond the 44 players in the squad, we could also have looked at the Under-21s, who are playing tonight. All of these players can really play football.”
After an 18-month break from coaching, the former club manager admitted the return to the dugout felt familiar — apart from the unique anticipation immediately before kick-off.
“Yes, I feel comfortable. But I haven’t felt uncomfortable over the last 18 months either. I simply didn’t think about it.
“I believe I had coached 1,081 games before this one, so this was game number 1,082. It wasn’t anything new for me. We did everything the way we believed was right. I hadn’t done it for the first time — I’d just had a break.
“The moment immediately before the game was completely new. I hadn’t experienced that for a while. It felt really good, actually — it felt great.
“Then the referee blew the whistle and that moment was gone. From then on, it was simply about helping the team perform as well as possible.”
The Germany coach also backed the return of standing areas at international matches, stressing the impact supporters can have on the atmosphere and performance inside a stadium.
“We all know what empty stadiums during the coronavirus pandemic did to us. The atmosphere inside a stadium has a dramatic impact on performance.
“When the right people are able to stand, that influence can be huge. We want to create a real home atmosphere.
“I’m very happy that standing areas are allowed again.”