News (engl.)

The Germany U21s will open the international break with consecutive away games, as they first travel to take on Latvia in Riga on Saturday, 26th September (18:00 CEST). Their second match during the 16-day international break will take them to Attard to face Malta on Wednesday, 30th September (18:00 CEST). 

Head coach Antonio Di Salvo’s side will play their final U21 EURO qualifier against Georgia on in Bielefeld on Tuesday, 6th October (18:00 CEST). 

"Our aim is clear: win all three games to finish top of our group”

“I’m excited to finally get to work with the team again, as we last saw each other back in March,” said Di Salvo. “It’s the first time, outside of a tournament setting, that we’ll be together for such a long time. We want to make full use of this opportunity with intense training sessions, successful games, a variety of team building exercises and by enjoying the time we have to play football. Our aim is clear: win all three games to finish top of our group and qualify for the EUROs.” 

The head coach has named seven debutants in his squad for the upcoming international break. “There were several factors that influenced our selection this time around,” Di Salvo explained. “In addition to injuries, the expanded size of the senior men’s national team squad also played a role. I’m happy for all the current and former U21 players that now have an opportunity to prove themselves under the new head coach.” 

"We have been able to lay out a future pathway with Germany for them"

With 44 players being called up to Germany’s senior national team, Di Salvo has had the opportunity to call up several players for the first time. Frank Feller, Noahkai Banks, Laurin Ulrich, Francis Onyeka, Wael Mohya, Paris Brunner and Louey Ben Farhat have all been included in their first Germany U21s squad. “I’m looking forward to getting to know the new players with the U21s and to see how they do in our qualifying matches,” he said. Ben Farhat and Banks are two players who have “chosen to represent Germany,” Di Salvo explained. “We’ve been in contact with both of them for a while now and had focused our efforts on them. I’m very pleased that we have been able to lay out a future pathway with Germany for them and that they agreed with it.” 

Di Salvo was unable to call up Dennis Seimen (VfB Stuttgart), Nnamdi Collins (Eintracht Frankfurt), Assan Quedraogo (RB Leipzig), Anton Kade (FC Augsburg), Ilyas Ansah (Hull City) and Nelson Weiper (SK Sturm Graz) due to injury. 

Germany U21s are currently top of Group F with 18 points from seven games. Greece are just behind them, having also recorded six wins from seven games, although they are second to Germany based on head-to-head. Northern Ireland are in third place with 10 points, followed by Georgia (9). The nine group winners, along with the best second-placed side, will all earn a spot at the U21 EUROs in Serbia and Albania. The eight remaining group runners-up will enter into a play-off round, in order to determine the final four sides to qualify for the tournament.