Italy Germany 11 First reactions and observations

Italy – Germany 1:1: First reactions and observations

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First reactions and observations

  • The substitutions made a huge difference for Germany, particularly the addition of Jonas Hofmann for Benjamin Henrichs. Hofmann may have secured his place in the starting XI today, he was a turning point after coming on.
  • Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry remain frustrating pieces of the puzzle. Seems like Hansi Flick inherited Bayern’s problems last season and he doesn’t seem any closer to solving them.
  • Actually, Thilo Kehrer shouldn’t play against England next week. He’s just not good enough for the left-back spot. Hansi Flick has to stop being so inexplicably loyal to the guy and give David Raum more chances.

full time: Italy 1-1 Germany.

72′ – Goal! Kimmich immediately makes it 1:1!

70′ – Goal! Pellegrini scores! Germany on course to lose their first game under Hansi.

58′ — Replacement: Musiala and Hofmann continue for Sane and Henrichs.

45′ — The second half is on!

Mid-term observations and analyses

  • Miserable sight for Bayern Munich fans. Especially Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane were terrible.
  • Germany pressed well against the ball. However, the passing was flawed and no risks were taken. Flick will want to make some adjustments at halftime.
  • This full-back configuration doesn’t work. Kehrer and Henrichs can’t get the ball and are repeatedly caught on the flanks by Italy. Replacing them would be the best choice for Germany.

45′ — Half time, still 0:0.

34′ — Scamacca hits the post! Italy and Germany have been evenly matched so far but that could have made the difference had they gone in.

Kicking off: We’re on the road in Bologna!

One hour to kick-off: We have lineups! It looks like Flick will be at the helm with Thomas Müller and Timo Werner, with Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane on the wings. Benjamin Henrichs starts as a right-back.

The UEFA Nations League is a great concept. Instead of cluttering up the summer with a bunch of meaningless friendlies in a World Cup year, Germany can now go head-to-head against some of the best sides in the world and Italy.

While the Azzurri may not have qualified for Qatar 2022, they are still the reigning European champions, making them a solid opponent to test his team’s preparation to date. A number of Bayern Munich regulars will be available for this game including Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Manuel Neuer and more. They will be supported by Chelsea’s German contingent as well as a few other players from various clubs across Europe. With Bayern forming the backbone of this German side, it will be fascinating to see how they fare against a real opponent under Flick.

While you’re waiting for the game, why not check out our podcast? We’ve got the lowdown on Sadio Mane, Nagelsmann’s potential new system, and more! Listen to it below or at this link.

game info

Location: Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna, Italy

Time: 8:45 p.m. local time, 2:45 p.m. EST

TV/Streaming: Find your country

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