Questions that Germany must answer
Les Bleus take on Australia in opener
Vatutinki, June 15: Holders Germany start their World Cup campaign on Sunday against Mexico in Moscow having won just one of their six friendlies since qualifying for Russia 2018 with a perfect 10 wins.
AFP looks at five questions the German team must answer if they are to become the first team for 56 years to successfully defend the World Cup: Can Ozil, Gundogan shake off scandal? Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan, who are German-born to Turkish parents, sparked controversy on the eve of the World Cup by posing for photographs with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Gundogan presented Erdogan with a signed shirt “to my president”.
The Premier League midfielders were slammed in Germany for being “manipulated” by Erdogan as he canvasses support before snap elections on June 24, a suggestion the Turkish FA found “scandalous”.
Gundogan denies the meeting was politically motivated, but Ozil has refused to comment. Is Manuel Neuer fit enough? Germany’s captain and first-choice goalkeeper has played just two games since returning from eight months sidelined by a foot fracture.
The world-class stopper was a key component in their 2014 triumph, letting in just four goals in their seven games in Brazil.
He leaked two goals when Germany’s secondstring defence crumbled in their 2-1 defeat to Austria a fortnight ago on his return, but kept a clean sheet in his 45 minutes in the victory over the Saudis. Can the senior players lead? Germany’s captain in 2014, Philipp Lahm, midfield maestro Bastian Schweinsteiger, defender Per Mertesacker and alltime record World Cup goal-scorer Miroslav Klose have all retired in the last four years.
That means senior figures Mats Hummels, Thomas Mueller, Jerome Boateng, Toni Kroos and Sami Kehedira need to step up and impose their experience if things do not go Germany’s way. Can Werner provide the goals? Timo Werner left Russia last year with the golden boot when an inexperienced Germany squad won the 2017 Confederations Cup and scored three goals on his breakthrough, but this is a big step up for the 22year-old.
Klose retired after Brazil 2014 with the alltime record of 16 goals at World Cup finals and Werner is seen as his heir.
With deadly goal predators Mueller and Marco Reus prowling the space behind him, Werner has the team-mates to help him impress, but this is his big test. — AFP Madrid, June 15: French striker Antoine Griezmann has announced he was staying put at Atletico Madrid in an eagerly awaited decision that ends intense speculation of a possible move to Barcelona.
“I've decided to stay,” Griezmann told a Spanish pay per view channel 48 hours before he turns out for France in their World Cup opener.
The 27-year-old was heavily wooed by Barcelona but in the end he has elected to prolong his four year stay at the Spanish capital side. Last month he scored twice in Atletico's 3-0 win over Marseille in the Europa League final.
It was Griezmann's first major title with Atletico after being in the side that lost on penalties to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in 2016, having also lost to Real two years earlier. He also lost the European Championship final with France that same summer.
“I want to win the Champions League...it wasn't hard luck, it was that we were missing something,” he reflected.
— AFP