Is Nagelsmann rethinking BVB?
Frustrated Bayern stars are free to join the DFB team earlier
May 9, 2024, 11:01 a.m
When Julian Nagelsmann starts his preparations for the home European Championship, he doesn’t have all the players together. Some Germans are taking part in the Champions League final. But because FC Bayern is dramatically eliminated, Manuel Neuer and Co. have time earlier than hoped.
The entry of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid into the Champions League final also has a direct impact on the national football team’s first preparation phase for the home European Championship. Because national coach Julian Nagelsmann has to do without all the professionals who will fight for the premier class triumph at Wembley on June 1st at the training camp from May 26th to May 31st in Blankenhain in Weimarer Land.
After Madrid’s semi-final success over FC Bayern, it is clear that Nagelsmann will have to do without the Real Madrid duo Toni Kroos and Antonio Rüdiger in Thuringia. BVB striker Niclas Füllkrug and possible other Dortmund European Championship starters will not be there either. In return, Nagelsmann can welcome the Bayern block with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sané, Thomas Müller, Aleksandar Pavlovic or Leon Goretzka, who was recently left out. However, Serge Gnabry injured his hamstring again in the second leg in Madrid and, according to club coach Thomas Tuchel, may be out for weeks.
“Of course it would be good if everyone were there,” Nagelsmann recently said. However, the 36-year-old emphasized that for him too, “the joy outweighs it when players reach the Champions League final.” The final offers “emotional highlight moments” for the actors. The DFB team could also benefit from this at the home tournament.
26 players can be nominated
The exciting question is how Nagelsmann reacts to the international success of the Dortmund professionals. In his radical squad restructuring at the start of the European Championship year, a number of players such as Mats Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can and Julian Brandt no longer played a role. Is Nagelsmann now thinking again?
Nagelsmann will announce the provisional European Championship squad on Thursday next week in Berlin. Following a decision by the UEFA Executive Committee, the squad size was recently increased from 23 to a maximum of 26 players. This gives Nagelsmann more leeway in terms of personnel.
The training camp begins on May 26th, one day after the new German champions Bayer Leverkusen’s DFB Cup final against second division team 1. FC Kaiserslautern. From June 1st, the DFB team will continue its preparations for the European Championship in Herzogenaurach. The participants in the Champions League final will not be there for the penultimate European Championship test against Ukraine on June 3rd in Nuremberg, but will only join the team afterwards. The last test match will take place on June 7th in Mönchengladbach against Greece before the European Championship opening game against Scotland on June 14th in Munich.