Pleased Ex-Captain Gündogan Backs Goretzka for German Team, Even With Top Player Absences
Midfielder Gündogan identifies a potential weakness in the German national team, yet denies any internal issues.
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Is the German national football team equipped for the quarter-finals in the Nations League against Italy? According to former captain Ilkay Gündogan, they stand a chance, boasting a revitalized Leon Goretzka in their ranks.
Following his resignation, Gündogan is no longer part of the team, but in an exclusive interview with RTL/ntv and sport.de, he expressed his delight that his fellow German team member Leon Goretzka has made a triumphant return to the pitch.
DFB matches in the Nations League:- The first leg takes place in Italy on March 20 (8:45 PM, live on ntv.de).- The second leg happens at home on March 23 (8:15 PM, free TV broadcast on RTL and live on ntv.de).
Gündogan praised Goretzka's composure during his difficult stint at FC Bayern, which ultimately affected the German team. "He was quiet, avoided grand public declarations and accepted the club's decision. (...) But then he also made it clear that he wanted to fight for his position," said Gündogan. In the end, he added, everyone benefited from Goretzka's resilience.
Several top players will be absent due to injuries, including Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz, and Niclas Füllkrug, putting a dent in the team's attack strength. "Obviously it's a disadvantage not to have these top-quality players on the field," said Gündogan. "But there's still plenty of skill up front. It'll just require a bit more flexibility, I think, and with a stable defense and midfield, we can cover a lot."
Besides Goretzka, other promising players such as midfielder Nadiem Amiri and offensive player Jonathan Burkhardt (both from Mainz 05) could make a significant impact on the team. "The Bundesliga has definitely grown stronger in depth [in terms of quality], and Mainz is definitely on the right track," emphasized Gündogan. "I think these two players will be eager to seize their opportunity in the national team during these two games."
Source: ntv.de, tno/sport.de
- DFB
- Football national team
- Julian Nagelsmann
- Ilkay Gündogan
- Leon Goretzka
- Bundesliga
- Mainz 05
- Nadiem Amiri
- Jonathan Burkhardt
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, focusing on the flexible adaptation of football leagues to mitigate against setbacks like injuries to top players.
- In a similar vein, the German national football team, despite the absence of several top players due to injuries, can still rely on the talent of emerging players such as Nadiem Amiri and Jonathan Burkhardt from the Bundesliga team Mainz 05 to provide flexible solutions in their attack.
- Regarding the absence of some key players, former captain Ilkay Gündogan recognizes the challenge, but he remains optimistic about the team's chances, asserting that the Bundesliga has grown stronger in depth and Mainz 05, in particular, is on the right track with promising players like Amiri and Burkhardt.
