Leon Goretzka and Timo Werner, regularly called up and established for the selection, are not part of the group of 24 players announced by German coach Hansi Flick on Thursday, for the friendly matches in September, against Japan and against France. “Everyone must put their ego aside. Who gives energy to the Mannschaft? We look at this in detail. The star is the team and not the individuals,” explained Hansi Flick to justify his strong choices. It thus does without the services of Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka, Leipzig striker Timo Werner and Leipzig defender David Raum.
On the other hand, he retained Bayern midfielder Jamal Musiala, victim of a muscle tear ten days ago. Musiala did not resume racing until Monday on the grounds of Säbener Strasse, and has not yet resumed collective training with the Munich residents. Host country of Euro-2024, Germany is automatically qualified and must chain friendly matches for fifteen months. The Mannschaft will receive Japan on September 9 in Wolfsburg, before welcoming France, vice-world champion, three days later in Dortmund.
Flick is still without Manuel Neuer in goal (back in collective training with Bayern this week after his serious right knee injury in December 2022), and has called up Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross for the first time. (32 years old). Nine months before their Euro 2024 at home, the German selection is mired in a deep crisis with elimination in the first round of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The friendly matches in March and June, used by the staff for tests, proved to be very inconclusive with only one victory against the modest Peru (2-0), a draw against Ukraine (3-3) and three defeats against Belgium (3-2), Poland (1-0) and Colombia (2-0). The German coach is aware of the pressure that will accompany the two friendlies in September. “The preparation for the Euro begins now. It’s from now that it starts, ”he confided to the German bi-weekly kicker at the end of July.
The German group
Goalkeepers: Marc-André ter Stegen (FC Barcelona/ESP), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim/GER)
Defense : Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Robin Gosens (Union Berlin/GER), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig/GER), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich/GER), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Antonio Rüdiger ( Real Madrid/ESP), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Niklas Süle (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Malick Thiaw (AC Milan/ITA)
Milieux de terrain/attaquants: Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Niclas Füllkrug (Werder Bremen/GER), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich/GER), Pascal Gross (Brighton/ENG), Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City/ENG), Kai Havertz (Arsenal/ENG), Jonas Hofmann (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich/GER), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich/GER), Kevin Schade (Brentford/ENG), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen/GER )
