After starting the European Championship season with two defeats, the German U21 national team wants to return quickly with victories on the way to defending its title.
“We’re good, but we’re missing the final punch,” said coach Antonio Di Salvo after the 3-1 defeat in England. “We take a lot with us and try to do better in November.”
Then there are two more international matches. Games are planned against teams that are also at the start of the European Championship finals from June 21 to July 8, 2023 in Romania and Georgia. “There is still a good step to be taken before the European Championships,” said Noah Katterbach from FC Basel on Wednesday on DFB-TV. “It’s a well-known saying: Victory gives you a line, defeat a whole book.”
After the 1-0 draw against France, the German team also lost out in the next endurance test in Sheffield on Tuesday evening. In front of 10,731 spectators, the goal from Wolfsburg’s Felix Nmecha (35th minute) was not enough to reward a courageous performance by the European champion with a sense of achievement. Folarin Balogun (42nd) and Conor Gallagher (47th) shot the intense and at times wild international match after the break. Cole Palmer scored late on the final score (90.5) as Germany risked everything for an equaliser.
Di Salvo: “We still have nine months left”
“Of course you worry, that’s what the friendly games were for: which players can I build on, where do you have to improve,” Di Salvo summed up. “We still have nine months, every player can show himself and prove himself.” The 43-year-old is expected to nominate the squad from a group of players that includes 30 to 35 professionals. Match practice is important, said the coach – and one or the other player against France and England noticed a lack of minutes.
A promising EM candidate is the defender Marton Dardai, who is strong against England. “We have to play a bit more ripped off, use our chances better and stand better at the back – then everything will come naturally,” said the Berliner.
Apart from the internationals in November, Di Salvo wants to see his team play two more games in March. A training camp to prepare for the tournament begins about ten days before the final round of the European Championship. “We’re at the point where we narrowly lost against two very big nations. Overall, we were a bit worse than both teams,” said Di Salvo.
