Morgalla leaves, Gebhardt goes up
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The German U21 national team will be without goalkeeper Noah Atubolu and defender Leandro Morgalla in the first match after punching their ticket to the European Championship. Salzburg’s Morgalla returns to Austria after what coach Antonio Di Salvo described as a « minor muscle injury ». In Friday’s match (6 p.m./ProSieben Maxx) in Aachen against Denmark, Cologne’s Jonas Urbig will be in goal. It remains to be seen whether Atubolu will be able to play in France on Tuesday. As a precaution, Di Salvo appointed Felix Gebhardt from Regensburg.
Di Salvo had planned to use Urbig in the first match anyway. The 21-year-old recently lost his number one spot at 1. FC Köln. “What’s important is the reaction afterwards. The reaction is good,” Di Salvo said. “He is doing everything he can to make the situation change again.”
During the first preparation matches for the final phase of the European Championship in Slovakia this summer, striker Youssoufa Moukoko from OGC Nice is back after his U21 break. Moukoko, who initially wanted to gain a (Site notre bureau spécialisé)hold in the new club but has not yet really succeeded, scored twelve goals in 13 matches for the national youth team.
DFB juniors: expectations do not only concern Moukoko and Wanner
“I have a general expectation that concerns everyone, not just Youssoufa,” Di Salvo said. “We want to use the game to develop further. Youssoufa is part of it like everyone else. » There are “a lot of good players” on offense, Di Salvo said. There is competition and everyone has the opportunity to show themselves.
The U21 national coach sees the two matches against top opponents as “position determination”. Heidenheim’s shooting star Paul Wanner is also present. National coach Julian Nagelsmann would have liked to name and use the 18-year-old in the A team for the first time. The Bayern loanee has not yet decided whether she wants to play for Germany or the national team senior from Austria in the future.
“A player with great potential. That’s why not only Austria, but also our national team have him on the radar, » said Di Salvo. « Players with such potential naturally also play a role in the under-21s. » But Wanner must also face competition.