Germany prepare to face Hungary in their second fixture of Euro 2024 on Wednesday 19 June 2024.
After demolishing Scotland 5-1 to begin their campaign, confidence is high in the German camp, but whilst manager Julian Nagelsmann is confident of victory, he warns Die Mannschaft must be careful of a Hungary side battling to keep their Euro 2024 hopes alive.
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Hungarian Threat
A 3-1 defeat against Switzerland started Euro 2024 for Hungary, and Nagelsmann is wary of the extreme physicality and attacking options Magyarok possess, as their opponents aim to bounce back from their disappointing start to Group A.
"Hungary are a very good team in transition who are strong in the air. Szoboszlai is a big threat from set pieces. [Willi] Orban has a very good timing with headers. In the qualifiers, Hungary were the second-best team when it came to creating or converting chances from set pieces. We should prevent that. They have a clear attacking pattern. If we defend that well, we have a very good chance"
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Keeping Momentum
Whilst the 31-year-old's comments show that he is not underestimating Marco Rossi's side, he believes that his side can dictate the game if they continue with the free-flowing attacking football they showcased in the opening fixture against Scotland, forcing Hungary to adjust their approach with a fast German start.
"I assessed Scotland to be at a similar level to Hungary. Now Hungary are perhaps under more pressure than us and they will have to play more offensively...because a defeat could mean they are eliminated.
"After the Scotland game I said it depends on us, how we play. Scotland were impressed in the first 20 minutes with how we were playing".
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The balance of experience within the squad
Nagelsmann believes the current blend of youth and experience within the squad is a huge positive for his side and suggested the current feelings within the camp are very good:
"It's important to have a mix of experienced and young talented players. The atmosphere in our camp is excellent. The connections between the older and younger players are also good".
Nagelsmann also expressed the need to bring young players through the national side system if Die Mannschaft are to achieve prolonged international success:
"We need more young players for the future. It’s important that the young, talented players are open and listen to the older players and want to benefit from their experience in order to improve.
"Not only on the pitch, but also off it. Many have experience in different situations, including pressure and the expectations of the fans."
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The importance of Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos was pivotal in the demolition of Scotland, controlling the tempo and showcasing his impressive passing range to break down the Scottish defence, and Nagelsmann highlighted the importance of the Real Madrid midfielder in what will be his final tournament before retiring from football.
"Toni is very important for us with his experience. You can always give him the ball and he doesn't make any mistakes. He was very good against Scotland. Toni is still one of the top three players in the world when it comes to finding teammates between the lines, creating chances and setting up goals. He will do that tomorrow too."
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Squad Availability
Despite the demands of an international tournament after a long gruelling season, Nagelsmann is happy with the condition of his players and stated he has a full squad at his disposal ahead of the clash tomorrow night:
"The players are fit and made a good impression...Everyone is fine, everyone is healthy, everyone is fit. There's nothing negative to announce."
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Mittelstädt prepares to return to Stuttgart
Left-back Maximilian Mittelstädt also spoke to the media during today's press conference, and the Stuttgart defender was quick to talk about the comfort of playing at his home stadium: "I'm very happy, I have many great memories from this stadium and hope that tomorrow there will be another one."
The 27-year-old also spoke about his pride in being able to play for his national team in front of his family.
"My girlfriend will be in the stadium tomorrow, as will my entire family. It's obviously hard when you're separated from your family for several weeks but I'm looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow."
The left-back will be expected to start tomorrow, with Nagelsmann anticipated to select an unchanged side versus Hungary, as the German manager hopes for a win that will see his side advance to the round of 16.
