March 14, (THEWILL)- Six newcomers, including Bayern Munich teenager Aleksandar Pavlovic, have been named by Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann for their friendly internationals against France and Netherlands later this month in his last tests before Euro 2024 on home soil.
Nagelsmann also decided not to select Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry as well as Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels. Instead, he opted for the in-form Pavlovic who has played an outstanding season as a defensive midfielder. VfB Stuttgart’s sensational Bundesliga campaign did not go unnoticed with Waldemar Anton, Maximilian Mittelstadt and Deniz Undav also earning their first call-ups.
Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier and Heidenheim’s Jan-Niklas Beste complete the list of newcomers. Their selection reflects a desire for fresh talent, as the coach seeks to revitalise his squad ahead of the Euros. Still, the team will feature veterans like Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos, who recently announced his international comeback, and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, returning after a lengthy injury absence due to a broken leg in December 2022.
Nagelsmann, who took over after Hansi Flick’s sacking in September, has endured a mixed start, with a win and a draw during a US trip in October, followed by two straight losses in Austria and at home against Turkey in November. With the Euros less than 100 days away, the pressure is mounting on the German coach and his team to start delivering results.
Speaking of these changes, Nagelsmann said: “After the Turkey game we knew things had to change. After the recent results, which were not good, we discussed how big a change we need to make. We wanted to see some players with a different profile. The door is not shut for anyone,” he said.
On March 23, Germany will play against France, followed by hosting the Netherlands three days later, marking their final matches before the tournament in June. Their Euro campaign begins against Scotland on June 14 in Group A, with matches against Hungary and Switzerland also scheduled.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
