Germany’s World Cup preparations have been disrupted by the coronavirus, forcing coach Hansi Flick to improvise within the event’s warmup video games towards Hungary and England.
Captain Manuel Neuer and his Bayern Munich teammate Leon Goretzka had been compelled to go away the crew’s lodge on Wednesday after testing constructive for COVID-19, whereas Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt examined destructive for the virus after testing destructive for the flu. Left with signs like It’s an undesirable reminder for Flick that the pandemic shouldn’t be over and will nonetheless play a component in Germany’s fortunes on the World Cup, which begins in Qatar just below two months away.
Flick wished his gamers to “get into tournament mode and be there from the start” this week because the crew prepares for Friday’s Nations League video games towards Hungary in Leipzig and towards England in London. But as an alternative, there’s a worry of constructive instances forward. Midfielder Jonas Hoffmann mentioned: “The alarm bells are ringing.” Team coaching was scheduled in a while Thursday than in earlier days. Players face elevated scrutiny within the wake of constructive instances. The squad then needed to journey to Leipzig by practice from the crew lodge in Gravenbrück, close to Frankfurt.
Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann has been known as in for Neuer, though Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen is extra more likely to play towards Hungary. Wolfsburg midfielder Maximilian Arnold has additionally been a late addition to the squad. Flick had earlier known as in Leipzig’s Benjamin Heinrich to interchange the injured Marco Reus.
Flick remains to be aiming to complete high of the Nations League Group A3 to qualify for subsequent June’s closing. Hungary leads the group with seven factors from 4 matches and can qualify for the ultimate with a win over Germany if Italy doesn’t beat England on the identical time.
Germany have six factors and will probably be in competition so long as they keep away from defeat on Friday. But if Germany loses, Flick’s crew can not maintain Hungary, and if England finally ends up a minimum of a draw towards Italy, England v Germany will abruptly turn out to be a duel towards relegation on Monday.
The sport in Leipzig will probably be a particular one for Hungarian gamers Peter Gulasi, Willi Orban and Dominic Soboszlai. All three play for the Bundesliga crew Leipzig. “We are playing away and at home,” Szoboszlai mentioned. “We’ll go there and we’ll enjoy it.” Hungary defeated Germany 1–1 in Budapest in June, when Timo Werner and David Raum had a number of probabilities saved by Gulasi. Hungary will probably be with out the injured Roland Salai and Zsolt Negi on Friday.
“Germany is the strongest team we can meet,” mentioned Hungary coach Marco Rossi. “We will do everything we can to make their job as difficult as possible so that our fans can be proud of us again.”
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
