Germany hold crisis meeting to regroup for Euros quarter-final
Zurich
Record champions Germany held a crisis meeting on Sunday as they need to regroup from their biggest defeat in Euros history and turn their attention to the quarter-finals.
Germany were crushed 4-1 by Sweden and had Carlotta Wamser sent off in a defensive meltdown on Saturday.
Improvement will be needed if the eight-time champions want to advance on Saturday where strong France could be their quarter-final opponents.
'We already sat down this morning as a team,' midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken said, adding that 'there will definitely be changes' in the line-up.
Playmaker Laura Freigang vowed: 'We have seven days to prepare and we will make use of them.
'Of course it brings you back down to earth. It's the kind of day you'd prefer not to have during a European championship. But I'd rather have it today than any other day because now we have knock-out games,' she added.
Coach Christian Wück gave the players the rest of Sunday and Monday off before having to act as crisis manager in his first big tournament with the team.
But he said defiantly: 'We are down but we will get up again. We will shake it off and then go into this quarter-final with joy and courage. No matter against whom - whether it's France or England or the Netherlands.
Wück's main task will be to regain defensive stability as the back line collapsed even before Wamser's red card because Sweden had already reversed an early German lead from Jule Brand through Stina Blackstenius and Smilla Holmberg.
Wamser's handball for which she saw red resulted in Fridolina Rolfö`s penalty for 3-1 in the 34th, and Sweden got as fourth from Lisa Hurtig with 10 minutes left.
Wück will have to make changes at the back but doesn't have a lot of options.
The suspended right back Wamser was already playing in place of captain Giulia Gwinn, who suffered a tournament-ending knee injury in their opening 2-1 win over Poland.
The coach rules out a major system change after the high pressing approach backfired badly against the Swedes.
'We must not make the mistake of blaming or pillorying parts of the team now. I think it would be wrong to say that we only want to react now and only want to destroy,' he said.
Captain Janina Minge also warned against rigorous defensive tactics, insisting: 'I don't think we should change our entire system now.'
Saturday's defeat means that Germany now face a much more difficult path in their bid to reach the July 27 final than if they had won on Saturday to finish top of their group.
France, who have impressed in Switzerland and beat Germany in last year's Nations League semi-finals are the likely opponent. A potential semi-final could be against world champions Spain who have been the best team so far at the Euros.
Sweden, by contrast, will probably face title holders England or the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, and if they advance the winner of Norway v Italy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
15 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Germany ready to rebound for big France challenge, says Kunzer
dpa Zurich Facing France will be a huge challenge for record champions Germany in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals but they will be ready for it, German women's national team sporting director Nia Künzer has said. Germany limp into the match coming off a crushing 4-1 defeat against Sweden in their final group game, while the French impressively won all their matches, including against title holders England and 2017 champions the Netherlands. 'It was clear for us that a very difficult opponent would be waiting for us. I all saw and know which quality France have, which pace,' Künzer told broadcasters ARD. Germany coach Christian Wück was in attendance when France wrapped up the group stage with a 5-2 triumph over the Dutch on Sunday. Germany are considered underdogs, and lost against France in last year's Nations League semi-finals. But the Germans have never lost against Les Bleus at a Euros or a World Cup, and have eight Euro titles, two World Cups and one Olympic gold compared to France's zero big titles. Kunzer, who scored Germany's winner in the 2003 World Cup final against Sweden, insisted that the team will shake off the Sweden defeat and come back stronger on Saturday. 'Everyone will have to go to their highest level, play at the limit, so that we don't allow France into the game. Stress them, be nasty, that's something they don't like,' Kunzer said.
Qatar Tribune
15 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Leverkusen's Xhaka has ‘agreement' with Saudi club Neom
dpa Dusseldorf Midfielder Granit Xhaka could be the latest player to leave Bundesliga runners-up Bayer Leverkusen, according to multiple German reports. Sky TV said late Sunday that the 32-year-old Swiss international has 'an verbal agreement in principle' with Saudi Pro League club Neom SC over a summer move. The Bild paper and Kicker sports magazine also reported the Neom interest. Sky said that Neom have informed Leverkusen of their intentions, with a transfer fee estimated at ?6 million ($7 million) for Xhaka, who has a Leverkusen contract until 2028. There is no agreement between the clubs yet, but Sky said deciding talks could be held on Monday. It was unclear whether Xhaka would join Leverkusen later Monday on a trip to Rio de Janeiro for a 10-day training camp. Leverkusen have already lost coach Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, playmaker Florian Wirtz and right back Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool, and centre back Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich. Leverkusen have also brought in reinforcements, led by playmaker Malik Tillman who arrived from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven.
Al Jazeera
20 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Cricket: England win dramatic Lord's Test against India by 22 runs
England beat India by 22 runs on a final day of simmering tension and high drama in the third Test at Lord's to move 2-1 up in the best-of-five series. Shoaib Bashir bowled Mohammed Siraj for four to seal victory, India's number 11 playing a defensive stroke before the ball trickled down the face of his bat and rolled on to the stumps as he watched on in disbelief. As the England players celebrated wildly late on Monday, Ravindra Jadeja trudged off the field after making a valiant unbeaten 61 to take India to the brink of an extraordinary win. The hosts had looked on course for a far more comfortable victory when they reduced India to 112-8 at lunch, but Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah battled for nearly two hours to inch their team towards a target of 193. Jadeja was given out leg before wicket to Chris Woakes by the umpire. But the decision was overturned on review, and the left-hander heaved the next delivery over mid-wicket for six, prompting loud cheers from the Indian fans. England finally made the breakthrough when Bumrah, on five, skied an attempted pull off Ben Stokes and was caught by substitute fielder Sam Cook. The majority of the crowd erupted with a mixture of joy and relief, but Jadeja continued to frustrate England, reaching his 50, off 150 balls, by edging Stokes over the slips for four. Siraj survived 30 deliveries for his four runs as Jadeja farmed the bowling and took a succession of singles off the fourth ball of the over to dominate the strike. Siraj suffered a painful blow to his shoulder after being struck by a Jofra Archer delivery and shortly afterwards his resistance was finally broken. A good morning for England England had claimed four wickets in the morning to take charge of the match after India resumed on 58-4. Rishabh Pant played an extraordinary one-handed straight drive for four off Archer to move to nine, but the fast bowler responded two balls later with an excellent delivery which uprooted his off stump. Stokes snared KL Rahul lbw for 39, the England captain dropping to his knees and imploring the umpire to give him out. He refused to do so, but England called for a review and the decision was overturned to huge cheers from the crowd. Washington Sundar was next to fall for a duck, Archer leaping to his right to take a superb one-handed catch off his own bowling. Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy frustrated England with solid defence in a partnership of 30 until Woakes found the edge of Reddy's bat just before lunch to give the hosts a huge lift as they left the field to warm applause from a packed crowd. The fourth Test will begin on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester.
