Germany are through to the knockouts of Euro 2024 without breaking a sweat, which comes with its own set of perks. With qualification secure, Julian Nagelsmann can consider rotating his starting XI to preserve the stamina of some key members of his team. On the other hand, Switzerland have been the second-best side in the group so far, and they have a chance to pip Germany to the 1st place spot if they win.
Which one is more important? Coming first, or resting key players? That’s the decision facing the coach at the moment.
Team news
All 26 members of the squad took part in team training ahead of the Switzerland game. So far, Julian Nagelsmann has stuck with an XI that looks like this:
[Update: Nagelsmann confirmed in this press conference that there would be zero changes (via @iMiaSanMia) so let’s just treat the rest of this article as a fun thought experiment.]
Instead of rehashing old topics, let’s look at which potential changes he could make to that lineup, in the interest of either rotation or experimentation:
- Niclas Füllkrug for Kai Havertz: Fans have been calling for a true striker up top, but Nagelsmann has been reluctant to change his winning formula thus far. With a low stakes game against Switzlerland, Niclas Fullkrug might finally get his chance.
- Thomas Muller for Florian Wirtz or Jamal Musiala: Muller played a solid cameo against Scotland when he came on. He could be important as a substitute in later rounds of the tournament, so Nagelsmann may be incentivized to give him a start in the final group stage game.
- Leroy Sané or Chris Führich: Either winger could slot in on the flanks. Sané has been in a bit of a rut lately, while Führich is in great form — either player could be chosen to give one of the starting wingers a rest.
- Pascal Groß for Robert Andrich: Andrich risks missing the next game if he picks up another yellow card — resting him would be the prudent choice. Emre Can could also be another pick for this position if Groß isn’t the guy.
- David Raum for Maximillian Mittelstädt: You don’t want to mess with your backline during a major tournament, so the only change Nagelsmann could potentially make is putting David Raum in at left-back for Maximillian Mittelstädt. However, if yellow cards are a concern, then Antonio Rüdiger might also get swapped out, for either Nico Schlotterbeck or Waldemar Anton.
It’s a shame that Aleksandar Pavlović had to drop out of the squad due to tonsilitis — he would have been the perfect option to replace Toni Kroos in the starting XI and give the 34-year-old a little bit of rest. As it stands, no one on the current team can do what Kroos does, so he has to play as he is the lynchpin of the system.
What changes are you looking forward to? Comment below!