Jamal Musiala and Hansi Flick.
Photo: AP/Michael Probst
First the prestigious test match against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, then the group draw for the World Cup in Qatar: This football week brings the German national team a lot of important insights for the World Cup year. In the men’s Bundesliga, leaders FC Bayern Munich have to go to Freiburg, and there is a duel between Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig. In the women’s Bundesliga, the top duel between Wolfsburg and Bavaria is coming up.
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Test match number two: The view goes forward. After eight wins in eight international matches under Hansi Flick against opponents of second-rate international caliber, the test on Tuesday (8.45 p.m./ARD) in Amsterdam against the Netherlands will be a real World Cup touchstone for the national coach and his team. Germany got in the mood for the classic with a 2-0 win against Israel, while the Dutch beat Denmark 4-2. “It’s great for further growth and development towards the World Cup,” said DFB director Oliver Bierhoff on Bild TV about the showdown: “We now have a really tough touchstone with Holland, even in Holland.” formed a great rivalry. And he will show “where we stand” – less than eight months before the start of the World Cup in Qatar.
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World Cup qualification: Not all 32 World Cup participants will be known before the group draw on Thursday. Canada qualified as the 20th team on Monday night. More are coming this week. On Tuesday, the games between Portugal and Italy-conqueror North Macedonia as well as Poland and Sweden are all about a place in Qatar, in Africa a total of five more are up for grabs in the play-off second legs. Qualification also ends in South America, Asia and the North and Central America and Caribbean zone. There, participants for intercontinental playoff games are also determined everywhere.
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