Germany will lock horns with Japan and France in the September friendlies as part of their ongoing preparation for Euro 2024. The tournament will begin in June next year. The squad called up this time has been refreshed with some huge names missing. There is also a problem in depth owing to injuries and other selection reasons. Germany hopes to overcome severe challenges in the next couple of friendlies amid carrying a disappointing form as they prepare to host the Euros in nine months.
Form
Monday, 12 June 2023
Germany 3-3 Ukraine
Saturday, 17 June 2023
Poland 1-0 Germany
Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Germany 0-2 Colombia
The team is carrying a dodgy form from the 2022 World Cup in which they exited from the group stages. Germany collected just one win and lost four of their five games post the tournament in Qatar. They have also failed to score in the last two matches in which they lost to Poland for just the second time and hit a new low when Colombia beat them for the first time in history. In their own backyard as well. Germany also conceded nine goals in that period.
Germany Squad
Goalkeepers: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim)
Defenders: Robin Gosens (Union Berlin), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Niklas Suele (Borussia Dortmund), Malick Thiaw (AC Milan), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Pascal Gross (Brighton)
Forwards: Niclas Fullkrug (Werder Bremen), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Kevin Schade (Brentford), Jonas Hofmann (Bayer Leverkusen), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Head Coach: Hansi Flick
The big omission for the September friendlies has been Thomas Muller who has not been called up for the first time since rejoining the national team. His teammate Leon Goretzka and Leipzig’s Timo Werner are also not included. Captain Manuel Neuer continues his recovery from a broken leg causing him to miss out once again. Midfielder Joshua Kimmich is likely to wear the armband in his place. The other big story is Brighton’s Pascal Gross finally getting the nod for national team duties at the age of 32. Despite carrying an injury, Jamal Musiala has made the roster. Flick said the selections were done on the basis of players who will energize the team.
Germany Fixtures
Sunday, 10 September 2023
Germany vs Japan - Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg (00:15)
Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Germany vs France - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund (00:30)
Germany will take on Japan in the first friendly on 10 September 2023. It was against the opponents from Asia that Flick’s side lost in the group stages of the World Cup last year to eventually bow out of the competition. They will meet France in another huge match having failed to win against them since the quarterfinal match of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
