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European Championship draw: Why Germany is facing the nightmare

2019-12-01T11:50:09.428Z


France and Portugal: The German Championship preliminary round group could hardly have been more difficult. For Löw, the draw offers the chance to advance his project of change - from the first game on.



Hammerless, Death Group, Nightmare Scenario: All the typical sports journalist vocabulary can be found in the newspapers of the country today to describe the German group at the European Championship 2020. Rightly so. Germany meets France and Portugal. The third German opponent will be determined only after the complicated Nations League elimination (including Hungary, Iceland and Bulgaria in the draw), but in view of the first two opponents incidental.

The world champion of 2014, Germany, against the world champion of 2018, France, as well as the European champion of 2016, Portugal. Harder it is hardly. Since Germany first hits France, then Portugal, a scenario is conceivable in which the German team goes into the final group match with zero points. A debacle like the 2018 World Cup - it seems possible. And even if Germany survives the group: As a second runner threatened as a knockout opponent England or Vice World Champion Croatia, as a group third, the opponent could be Netherlands or World Cup semi-finalist Belgium.

But the German draw also offers a chance. For the first time in a decade, the German team does not travel as a favorite to a big tournament. Even in the group, she is at most on par with the opponents, if not outsiders. National coach Joachim Löw can drive his project upheaval - and directly from the opening match against France.

2020 is not 2018

Review: Germany failed at the 2018 World Cup not high-class opponents. But on outsiders, against whose massed defenses the German team found no solution. The German team had plenty of possession, but created few chances to score. In order to force opportunities, the German players moved so far in the course of the group matches that allowed the team counter for counterattack. Germany failed due to the lack of playful class and their own arrogance.

This scenario does not threaten Germany at the European Championships. Neither France nor Portugal will focus so hard on a 0-0, as Mexico, Sweden and South Korea did. No one of these opponents will underestimate Germany, the players will never head as headless as in the last half hour against South Korea.

Ina Fassbender / DPA

Run 90 minutes, then collected the results: Game progress as in the 2018 World Cup against South Korea are not expected against top opponents

If you want to say it exaggerated, you can even say: The draw helps Löw. He knows from the first day what is required. He does not first meet outsiders against whom he has to find playful solutions. He does not have to switch to the quarterfinals suddenly his style, as is usually necessary during a tournament. He can move from the opening game to his project upheaval.

France is Löw's role model

That Germany will face France in the opening game is quite ironic: the reigning world champion is the great role model for Löw's upheaval. For years, the coach had emulated the Spanish style: a lot of possession, high dominance. A dead end, as the 2018 World Cup showed.

Although France also collected plenty of possession in 2018, the team ran the ball in defense. But she has always been able to increase the pace. And when the enemy revealed the smallest gap, the French countered mercilessly. Quiet possession, compact defensive, quick switching: This mixture of all styles would also Löw his players einimpfen.

Portugal too has a similar style. In 2016, the Portuguese won with defensive football (and good luck) the European title. Her style is a bit wilder than the French game. At the same time, they are also able to completely dominate the midfield with nine defenders. Games against Portugal are tough; you should not be fooled by the traditionally changeable qualification (Portugal was only second to the group behind the Ukraine).

In both games, Löw will accentuate the game against the ball much more than is normally the case in the group stage of a tournament. Crucial will be that the two big opponents can not use the pace and wit of their offensive forces. In France, the key forwards is the technically-minded sprinter Kylian Mbappe, while in Portugal, the highly gifted João Félix, who with his hooks and feint fools enemy defensive lines.

MAXIM SHIPENKOV / EPA-EFE / REX

Portugal's hopefuls João Félix has been playing at Spanish top club Atlético Madrid since the summer

Even illusion? This time impossible

Is Löw up to this task? In recent years, the defensive was not his strength. Although Germany took a 0-0 draw against France in the Nations League, the second leg narrowly lost 1-1. In the four games against the Netherlands (Nations League and European Championship qualification) left the DFB-Eleven, however, conceded eleven goals.

Löw will have to feed his players the behavior in pressing as well as the compact shifting against the ball before the tournament, again and again. This is the only way to prevent France and Portugal from finding gaps in the German defense with their quiet possession game.

It is therefore important to take the test matches before the European Championship seriously. The DFB strives to find high-class opponents, Spain and Belgium are in discussion. In the tournament itself Germany will have to be present from the first minute. Already in the opening match against France on June 16, 2020 decides whether the DFB team is one of the favorites - or whether one must hope, as one of the best group thirds somehow reach the last 16. Self-illusion, as it was at the 2018 World Cup even after the 0-2 defeat against Mexico was widespread? This time impossible.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2019-12-01

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