To look out for in the new Nations League
A tournament to embrace? ET’S be honest, you don’t fully understand the Nations League. Neither do we. It’s a strange format but anything is better than the often painful international breaks of old. Back then how often did major nations meet? France vs Germany is the League A curtain-raiser, the start of a mouthwatering group with Holland. We might not be able to untangle every permutation, but any attempt to minimise meaningless friendlies and lopsided qualifiers is a welcome one.
LThe collision of two heavyweights
Germany vs France might just be the most interesting encounter of the whole tournament, a collision of the two most successful European nations in football history, who have only met five times before in competition. They are the two most recent World Cup winners and yet they arrive in Munich via very different roads. France are basking in the glow of their summer success and with such a young squad at his disposal, Didier Deschamps brings much the same group into the new campaign. Joachim Low has recalled Manchester City’s Leroy Sane.
England seek to retain Russian glow
England have their own warm glow still flickering from their exploits in Russia, but that could quickly be snuffed out in what is a tough group alongside a new-look Spain side and the beaten World Cup finalists, Croatia. Spain are starting afresh under Luis Enrique and following the retirements of Gerard Pique, David Silva and Andres Iniesta. The new manager has quickly taken a hard line on selection, cutting the average age and omitting Jordi Alba over their differences while at Barcelona – only two Barca players have made the cut – while Atletico Madrid’s Koke has made way for Real Madrid’s uncapped Dani Ceballos.
The cloud of Keane
One of the most intriguing ties of the competition’s opening night is Wales vs Republic of Ireland in Cardiff. Both are desperate to kick on with Wales having missed out on World Cup qualification after losing to Ireland, before the Irish were thrashed in the playoffs by Denmark. Ryan Giggs will make his competitive managerial bow against Martin O’Neill but it is Giggs’ former Manchester United teammate Roy Keane (pix) who has grabbed the headlines this week. The Ireland assistant manager has fallen out with Cardiff’s Harry Arter, forcing the midfielder to withdraw from the squad.
Denmark in crisis
Denmark are the other side in League B Group 4 with Wales and Ireland, and they are mired in a far deeper crisis of their own. Senior Danish players including Christian Eriksen have refused to sign a new agreement with the country’s FA in a messy dispute over commercial rights. It means Denmark could be forced to field an amalgamation of lower league players and futsal stars for their opening match against Wales in order to avoid Uefa sanctions for failing to fulfil their scheduled fixtures.
A sporting chance for Europe’s minnows League D is where the minnows will fight it out. Kosovo, who have never won a competitive match, have been drawn with Malta, who have not won one for four years. Kosovo begin their campaign against the highest ranked nation in the league, Azerbaijan. The Nations League does, in theory, hand the smallest nations a route to Euro 2020: the four group winners within League D will go into a 16-team playoff in March 2020, although they will still need to win a semifinal and final to earn their tournament ticket. It is at least a chance for many of them to avoid regular thrashings and take on someone their own size.