Football
Jens Weber 9y

Joachim Low: Germany U21s can supply fresh blood

Germany boss Joachim Low has said he is hoping to identify some fresh blood for Euro 2016 when the Under-21 European Championship gets underway on Wednesday.

Low, who led the senior side to World Cup glory last summer, has said he plans to travel to the Czech Republic to watch Horst Hrubesch's under-21s if they make it through a group containing Denmark, Serbia and the host nation.

Germany have a host of highly rated young talents in their squad, including Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Schalke midfielder Max Meyer, Liverpool's Emre Can and in-demand Mainz midfielder Johannes Geis.

"I am expecting a lot of the Under-21 Euro tournament," Low said. "I need fresh blood in my squad for Euro 2016 so competition for the starting positions will be tough."

Germany U21 captain Kevin Volland said the players must show their ability if they are to repeat the nation's success in the 2009 European Under-21 Championship.

"We have got the potential, but we must show it on the pitch," said the 22-year-old, who is the team's most experienced player after making 99 Bundesliga appearances for Hoffenheim. "We have a lot of seasoned professionals in our squad."

Geis, linked with teams including Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Schalke, hopes the players can live up to their billing as tournament favourites.

"We have so many players with international experience and with Matthias Ginter we even have a world champion in our squad," he said.

Ginter was part of the 2014 World Cup-winning squad, although he did not get onto the pitch in Brazil, and the defender has endured a difficult season after moving to Dortmund.

The 21-year-old, who started only nine Bundesliga games for BVB, is now hoping to seize his chance at international level.

"Many players have said that they were shaped more in times of crisis, because you learn from that for your future," he told a news conference.

Can, meanwhile, appears to be one of those on Low's radar after his debut season in the Premier League.

The versatile Liverpool man, who said he considers holding midfield to be his best position, told German football magazine 11Freunde that he is determined to make an impression this summer.

"I talk to him [Low] on a regular basis, but at the moment the U21 Euro is all that counts for me," he said.

Germany's campaign gets underway against Serbia on Wednesday evening, and Hrubesch will have to make a decision on whether to select ter Stegen or Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno for the match.

^ Back to Top ^