On the eve of Germany's upcoming UEFA Europa League quarterfinal against Spain, head coach Jurgen Nagelsmann expressed his anticipation for the match in a pre-match press conference and shared his thoughts on the players' form, the opponents' strategy and the fans' support.
Regarding the choice of the starting lineup, Nagelsmann said that he has communicated fully with the players and will make the final decision before the match. He emphasized that the team has prepared well for the match and through several video conferences and tactical discussions, the players are confident about the upcoming challenge. Nagelsmann remained cautious in his choice of Sane and Wiltz to start the match, believing that both are excellent players and it would not be a wrong decision to choose anyone.
Talking about Spain's central player Yamal, Nagelsmann spoke highly of him as a very talented and consistent performer. However, he also said that the German team has the confidence to fight against Yamal and to see how he reacts in the game. Nagelsmann was very relaxed about the possible "taunting" comments from the Spanish players and believes that they will not affect the players' concentration and performance.
On the preparation for the penalty shootout, Nagelsmann revealed that the team already has a roster in mind, but what is more important is the players' form and confidence in the game. He believes that if the game does go to the penalty shootout stage, Germany will be able to find the right players to cope.
Nagelsmann has a clear understanding of the tactical characteristics of the Spanish team. He pointed out that the Spanish team is good at forcing the opponent to make mistakes and take back the ball through high-pressure pressing, but the German team also has its own strategy to deal with it. Nagelsmann emphasized that the German team wants to control the ball in the game and launch an attack at certain stages to make it difficult for the opponents.
Regarding Germany's recent poor record against Spain, Nagelsmann said he couldn't comment too much since he wasn't involved in those matches. But he said he was relaxed about the upcoming matches and believed the team would be able to play at their own level.
Nagelsmann appeared calm when talking about revenge for the 0-6 loss to Spain in the UEFA Europa League. He believes that revenge is not the aim of this game, but to focus on how to play the game in front of them. He encouraged his players to stay focused and united, and to respond to the fans' support with concrete actions.
Finally, Nagelsmann thanked the fans for their support. He said that although the team could not directly feel the passion of the fans in the training camp, they felt the strong support of the fans through watching videos and receiving various messages. He promised that the team will do their best to return the fans' expectations and unite for victory.
