News (engl.)

Following their 4-2 win over Australia, Germany's women's national team face another tough test on Tuesday against Japan in Bremen (17:45 CEST), with more than 25,000 fans expected to attend. Coach Christian Wück and full-back Franziska Kett spoke to the media on the eve of the game about the upcoming opponents and their expectations for the match.

Christian Wück on…

…the opponents: Japan are an outstanding side. They beat Australia to win the Asian Cup and are at a similar level. They play a completely different style of football and, alongside Spain, are one of the best teams in possession. They'll really test us defensively.

...facing teams from outside Europe: It's important for the team's development to gain this experience. Qualifying early for the World Cup gave us the opportunity to arrange games like these. We're facing teams we could come up against at the World Cup. It’s about getting used to these different styles of play and experiencing them in a match situation. It’s a completely different type of challenge to what we’re used to in Europe.

...playing in Bremen: I think it's only natural to look forward to coming back here after the performance we produced against the Netherlands and the incredible atmosphere that night. Hopefully, we can enjoy another occasion like that. We've seen that we can really get the crowd behind us, and everything is in place for another great evening, from the perfect pitch to the quality of the opposition. It will be a high-quality game.

...Franziska Kett: She has everything she needs to have a hugely successful career. She could make a difference for any team in Europe or anywhere in the world. She's technically excellent, has great pace and an incredible understanding of the game. She's also developing a really good partnership with Klara Bühl at the moment. She's an established member of the national team.

...today’s Germany U23 game: We'll all be going along. It's a great opportunity to watch the U23s in action. The entire squad and coaching staff will be there, and the coaches will watch the full game.

Franziska Kett on...

... Japan: These games are important for us looking ahead to the coming months. Japan are an incredibly strong side, and it's a chance for us to show what we're capable of and see where we stand. We saw against Australia that we did a lot of things well, but there are still plenty of areas where we can improve.

...the fans in Bremen: I'm really looking forward to the game, especially with so many fans coming along again. The atmosphere in Karlsruhe was absolutely incredible, and I'm sure it'll be just as good tomorrow. We played really well here a year ago, and we want to put in another performance like that.

...her development: So much has happened over the past year. Everything moved so quickly that I barely had time to take it all in. I was given my opportunity at a time when I'd been struggling with injuries and hadn't played much for my club. I took my chance, and I'm really happy to be out on the pitch with the girls.

...club teammate Momoko Tanikawa: It's no secret that she's a world-class player. She's so comfortable on the ball, technically outstanding and capable of things very few players can do. It'll be important for us to play to our strengths, be aggressive and not give the Japanese players any time on the ball. Otherwise, they're almost impossible to stop. If we can do that, they'll make mistakes, and we have to make sure we capitalise on them.

...narrowly missing out on a goal against Australia: Melissa Kössler actually apologised to me. (laughs) It was the first time I'd ever headed the ball in the opposition penalty area, but I’m happy for her to have the goal. At the end of the day, all that matters is whether we win. I don't mind who scores the goals. That said, I'm determined to get my first goal in one of the next few games.