Berlin (dpa) – The Bundesliga is paused, but the next international triple pack is imminent for Joachim Löw’s DFB selection.
Even more worries than the adverse circumstances caused by the corona pandemic could cause the national coach to be able to cope with the failures. In addition, it will be decided who will be the third opponent in the preliminary round at the EM in the coming year.
But there are not only international matches this week.
NATIONAL TEAM: In Leipzig, national coach Joachim Löw gathered his national team squad for the last time in the difficult Corona year. On Monday, seven players around captain Manuel Neuer and Toni Kroos are still missing, who Löw only plans for the Nations League games against Ukraine on Saturday and three days later in Spain. In the international match against the Czech Republic on Wednesday, the newcomers Felix Uduokhai and Philipp Max could celebrate their DFB debut. Löw uses the game again to test a B-Elf and to spare some regular forces. In the Nations League, it’s about winning the group. After the three-pack, the national team will have a four-month winter break until March, when World Cup qualification begins.
EM OPPONENTS: On Thursday, national coach Joachim Löw will also look to Budapest. In the Puskas Arena, Hungary and Iceland determine the third German opponents in the playoffs. The winner of the game will be represented in Group F next summer with the DFB team, world champions France and European champions Portugal. The duel with Germany will take place on June 23 at the Allianz Arena in Munich. Hungary could secure two European Championship home games in Budapest against Portugal and France with one win. Iceland caused a sensation at the EM 2016 with the quarter finals. The duels between Northern Ireland and Slovakia, Serbia and Scotland and Georgia and North Macedonia are about three more EM tickets.
U21: Five days before their final qualifying game against Wales (November 17), in which they want to take the final step towards the 2021 European Championship, coach Stefan Kuntz’s team will play a friendly against Slovenia on Thursday (6.15 p.m.). A total of 26 players are in the German squad for the two games in Braunschweig, including the newcomers Lennart Czyborra (CFC Genoa) and Jean-Manuel Mbom (Werder Bremen). Ragnar Ache (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Dennis Geiger (TSG Hoffenheim) are not there due to injury.
SECOND LEAGUE TOP GAME: League leader Hamburger SV has to go to the uncomfortable north rival Holstein Kiel this Monday (8.30 p.m. / Sky). Hamburg has never won against Schleswig-Holstein in four second division comparisons. HSV is still undefeated this season (5 wins, 1 draw). The team of coach Daniel Thioune has to make up for a lot against Kiel. “I don’t care if they are better or worse than last year,” says Holstein trainer Ole Werner about HSV.
FRAUEN-GIPFEL: The first game of the games in the women’s Bundesliga can already bring a preliminary decision in the championship. FC Bayern Munich welcomes defending champions VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday (2 p.m.). While the Lower Saxony have already lost two points due to a draw against SC Freiburg, the Munich women shine after eight games with a pure white vest: 24 points, 26-0 goals. A Bayern win against a Wolves team that was badly injured and the lead increased to five points. Last season, both meetings ended in a draw: 0-0 in Munich, 1-1 in Wolfsburg.
BRISANTE ADVICE: The Bundesliga bosses want to use the next international triple pack to advise on the four topics of Corona, Christian Seifert’s successor, DFB management crisis and TV money in Frankfurt. According to dpa information, 15 German professional clubs are there, 14 Bundesliga clubs (excluding Mainz, Augsburg, Stuttgart and Bielefeld) and Hamburger SV. The composition for the meeting scheduled on Wednesday should not represent a fixed group, individual changes or other club representatives could definitely join after the first summit with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, among others.
WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION: At least in South America, qualification for the World Cup finals will continue in Qatar in two years from Thursday. Argentina expects neighbor Paraguay, Brazil receives Venezuela. The two former world champions each won their first two games. In South America, the ten teams face all other opponents in home and away games.
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