BERLIN: Germany’s World Cup preparations have been disrupted by the coronavirus, forcing coach Hansi Flick to improvise for tournament warmup games against Hungary and England.
Captain Manuel Neuer and his Bayern Munich teammate Leon Goretzka were forced to leave the team’s hotel Wednesday after positive tests for COVID-19, while Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt left with flu-like symptoms after testing negative for the virus.
It’s an unwelcome reminder for Flick that the pandemic is not over and could yet play a role in Germany’s fortunes at the World Cup, which begins in Qatar in just under two months.
Flick wanted his players “get into tournament mode and be there from the start” this week as the team prepares for Nations League games against Hungary in Leipzig on Friday and England in London.
But instead, there’s a fear of further positive cases. Midfielder Jonas Hofmann said “the alarm bells are going off.”
Team training was scheduled for later on Thursday than it had been on previous days. Players face increased checks in the wake of the positive cases. The squad were then to travel to Leipzig by train from the team hotel in Gravenbruch, near Frankfurt.
Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann has been called up as a replacement for Neuer, though Barcelona’s Marc-André ter Stegen is more likely to play against Hungary. Wolfsburg midfielder Maximilian Arnold is also a late addition to the squad.
Flick previously called up Leipzig’s Benjamin Henrichs to replace the injured Marco Reus.
Flick is still aiming for top spot in Nations League Group A3 to ensure qualification for the finals next June. Hungary lead the group with seven points from four games and would clinch qualification for the finals with a win over Germany if Italy do not beat England at the same time.
Germany have six points and will remain in contention as long as they avoid defeat on Friday. But if Germany lose, Flick’s team could no longer catch Hungary, and if England get at least a draw against Italy, then England vs. Germany on Monday would suddenly become a duel against relegation.
For Hungary players Péter Gulácsi, Willi Orban and Dominik Szoboszlai, the game in Leipzig will be a special one. All three play for Bundesliga team Leipzig.
“We’re playing away and at home,” Szoboszlai said. “We’ll go there and we’ll enjoy it.”
Hungary held Germany to 1-1 in Budapest in June, when Timo Werner and David Raum had several chances saved by Gulácsi.
Hungary will be without the injured Roland Sallai and Zsolt Nagy on Friday.
“Germany are the strongest team we could meet,” Hungary coach Marco Rossi said. “We’ll do everything we can to make their work as difficult as possible so our fans can be proud of us again.”
Germany’s World Cup preparations overshadowed by virus fears
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Germany’s World Cup preparations overshadowed by virus fears
- Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka were forced to leave the team’s hotel after positive tests for COVID19
- Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt left with flu-like symptoms after testing negative for the virus
Real Sociedad edge rivals Athletic to reach Copa del Rey final
- Real Sociedad have now not lost in their last 10 derby clashes at home against Athletic, whom they beat in the 2020 final, and rarely looked like letting their advantage slip
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home a late penalty to fire Real Sociedad into the Copa del Rey final with a 1-0 win over Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, securing a 2-0 aggregate semifinal triumph.
American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has turned La Real’s fortunes around since arriving in December and his side will face Atletico Madrid in the Seville final on April 18, after they ousted Barcelona.
Already holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg at Athletic’s San Mames, Real Sociedad produced a sturdy display at the Reale Arena to knock out the 24-time winners.
“Very proud of what the boys have done, over the past two months, it’s pretty amazing,” said Matarazzo.
“Our first match was on the fourth of January... and we just reached the cup final.
“The football we’re playing is effective and we want to continue... we’re in the final and we want to win it.”
Real Sociedad have now not lost in their last 10 derby clashes at home against Athletic, whom they beat in the 2020 final, and rarely looked like letting their advantage slip.
“I think having the one goal advantage helped, we managed the tempo well,” Real Sociedad defender Jon Martin told Movistar.
“We didn’t want a lot to happen, and we did well.”
La Real had the better of a tense first half, with Carlos Soler coming closest. The midfielder’s free-kick, flying toward the top corner, was tipped over by Athletic goalkeeper Alex Padilla.
Matarazzo’s team had more of the ball and forced the visitors back, albeit without carving out many more openings.
Athletic defender Aitor Paredes made a last-ditch block to keep former Valencia midfielder Soler at bay, and Goncalo Guedes drilled into the side-netting.
Ernesto Valverde’s side improved in the second half and began to threaten La Real, again without finding a clear sight of goal.
Alejandro Berenguer fizzed a shot wide after Inaki Williams fed him on the edge of the box.
Los Leones were missing dangerous Spanish winger Nico Williams, who is sidelined indefinitely with a groin problem.
Oyarzabal seals it
The match was decided from the penalty spot when Athletic’s Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta grabbed a fistful of Yangel Herrera’s shirt as he tried to jump in the box.
After a VAR review the referee awarded a spot-kick and Spain striker Oyarzabal coolly sent Padilla the wrong way in the 87th minute.
Mikel Vesga might have levelled on the night for Athletic in stoppage time as they pushed forward with urgency but Real Sociedad stopper Unai Marrero saved well with his leg to help book his team’s flight to Andalusia.
“It was a hard-fought game, a Basque derby,” said Valverde.
“We had a clear chance at the end, we could have got back into the game but it wasn’t to be.”
Icelandic striker Orri Oskarsson could have extended La Real’s lead at the death but nodded against the post, although it did not matter in the end.
“It feels terrible, it’s a shame, we wanted to reach that final in Seville, I don’t even know what to say,” Athletic striker Williams told Movistar.
“(For the penalty) there’s that kind of grabbing in every box, every corner, and it’s very difficult (to take).”
