"We can't expect to sweep all our rivals off the field"

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann warned on the eve of the match against Hungary and after a 5-1 thrashing of Scotland that you can't expect to "sweep every opponent off the field".

"We can't expect to sweep all our opponents off the field, we have to be aware of the risks that each opponent presents. We must also be aware of the advantages they can offer us and think about taking advantage of them and winning the game," he told the pre-match press conference in Stuttgart. Nagelsmann pointed out that he had not seen Scotland as clearly inferior to Hungary, but as teams of a similar level.

"I think Scotland were impressed by the first 20 minutes we showed. At the end of the first half they were a man down and it was very difficult for them to get back into the game. But I don't see Scotland as a clearly inferior opponent to Hungary. I think they have a similar level," he said.

On the match against the Hungarians, Nagelsmann stressed that they are a team with "a clear disposition". "We know what we have to do. I don't want to give too many details. We will try to make the most of it," he added.

Elsewhere, Nagelsmann, when asked about Toni Kroos' role in the team, acknowledged that he is a "key" player and praised his performance against Scotland.

"In the last few weeks I've talked a lot about Toni. He is an important player for the team, he is key with his experience and his successes. He always has composure with the ball at his feet. His performance against Scotland, with a 99% pass success rate, shows that," he underlined.

 

June 19, 2024