U21: Germany surprises with 11 changes in the European Championship quarter-finals!

U21: Germany surprises with 11 changes in the European Championship quarter-finals!

The German U21 national team is on the pitch today in the European Championship quarter-finals against Italy. Kick-off is at 9 p.m., the game will be broadcast live on SAT.1 and in the BILD live ticker. This is the next step towards the title after national coach Antonio Di Salvo's boys showed impressive performances in the group stage.

With a successful finish as group winners, including a 2-1 win against England, Germany has really fought for its place in the quarter-finals. In this crucial game, Ansgar Knauff and Nelson Weiper scored the goals for Germany. Although England caused tension in the second half through Alex Scott, the German defense knew how to hold its own. The entire game took place in front of 5,624 spectators in Nitra.

New starting lineup

For today's game, Di Salvo has made a clear decision: he is changing the entire starting eleven and replacing all eleven players compared to the last game against England. This may seem daring, but the coach relies on rotation to keep the boys strong, especially since the games only take place every three days. “The high load requires adjustments,” explains Di Salvo.

The German starting line-up for today looks like this: Goalkeeper Atubolu is supported by a defensive line consisting of Collins, Rosenfelder, Arrey-Mbi and Brown. Martel and Reitz play in midfield, while Gruda, Woltemade and Nebel create the offensive game. Tresoldi is used as a striker. On the German team's bench are Ernst, Baum, Oermann, Siebert, Ullrich, Röhl, Jander, Knauff, Wanner, Thielmann and Weiper, all of whom are eagerly awaiting their start.

Italy: The opponent in focus

The Italian team, which will not underestimate the challenge, also put in a strong performance. Their lineup includes goalkeeper Desplanches as well as defenders Ghilardi, Coppola and Pirola. Zanotti, Prati, Ndour and Ruggeri are active in midfield, while Fabbian and Koleosho underpin the attack and Gnonto acts as a striker. For Germany it is important to use the defensive strength from the previous games in order to be able to survive against this strong opponent.

One aspect that is becoming increasingly important in connection with the high level of stress is sports psychology. This deals with the conditions, emotions and the processing of failures in sport. When the pressure mounts, it is crucial that players can perform under the stress. Research shows that mental strength and motivation are keys to success - points that can be crucial, especially in such an important game.

So the signs are there to shine again today. Germany is looking forward to the game with hope, while fans are looking forward to a thrilling duel against Italy. Who will come out on top in the end? We are excited!

For more information about the last games and to prepare for today's match, you can read the reports on PICTURE and star read up. And for anyone who wants to find out more about the role of sports psychology, the University of Freiburg exciting insights.