if Germany is to avoid the humiliation of two consecutive World Cup group stage exits, it must earn a positive result against a Spain team that appeared to be the tournament’s most dangerous team after the first round of matches.
Germany looks to rebound from a shocking defeat and resurrect its World Cup hopes against dangerous Spain
Finishing bottom of the group in Russia 2018, where Germany was defending champion, was a historic low for the four-time World Cup winner. It was the first time in 80 years that the German national team did not advance to the tournament’s knockout stages.A repeat of that performance in Russia was unthinkable with coach Hansi Flick at the helm after Joachim Löw finally stepped down after 15 years in charge.
However, after a shocking 2-1 loss to Japan in its first match, it is once again a distinct possibility.Former national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann accused Germany’s players of thinking they were “going to cruise” after taking a first-half penalty against Japan.Germany’s failure to capitalise on its dominance allowed Japan to stay in the game, and perhaps most concerning for the four-time champion, Flick was unable to successfully counter Hajime Moriyasu’s tactical changes, which led to the comeback.
Germany looks to rebound from a shocking defeat and resurrect its World Cup hopes against dangerous Spain
As a result, the match against Spain is a must-win.as a loss would mean an early flight home from Qatar It’s an unwelcome situation for Flick and his team, especially after Spain’s 7-0 thrashing of Costa Rica in their first game.Of course, it remains to be seen whether the Spaniards’ statement victory was due to Luis Enrique’s men being unstoppable or to their opponent being abjectly terrible, with Costa Rica competing with host Qatar for the title of World Cup’s worst team so far.
Germany will undoubtedly provide a much more accurate indication of Spain’s chances in Qatar, but the win has understandably sparked serious optimism that this team is a genuine contender.Traditionally, World Cup team camps have been somewhat strict and private affairs, but Spain’s head Coach Luis Enrique has taken an unusual approach to killing time behind closed doors.
Germany looks to rebound from a shocking defeat and resurrect its World Cup hopes against dangerous Spain
The 52-year-old, who recently posted a shirtless photo of himself on Instagram looking in incredible shape, has been conducting regular Q&As with fans via live streaming service Twitch and has promised to continue doing so for as long as Spain remains in the competition.