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Despite Luxembourg’s position being 84 spots below Germany in FIFA’s world football rankings, German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann is keen to convey that he is not underestimating the upcoming World Cup qualifier in Sinsheim. Following a disappointing international break in September, Nagelsmann is acutely aware that his job security is at risk.
This year, Luxembourg pulled off an impressive victory against 32nd-ranked Sweden in a friendly match back in March. Additionally, many players in head coach Jeff Strasser’s lineup are familiar with German football. Strasser himself is a former Bundesliga player and once took UEFA licensing courses alongside Nagelsmann.
The squad includes Bundesliga talents like Augsburg’s Aiman Dardari, SpVgg Greuther Fürth’s Mathias Olesen, and Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Yvandro Borges Sanchez. St. Pauli’s Danel Sinani, who is currently enjoying a standout season, is expected to be a starter.
Another key player is former Mainz standout Leandro Barreiro, who spent six successful seasons with die Rheinhessen. Barreiro has already spoken about the potential for another shocking upset—a result that could very likely jeopardize Nagelsmann’s position.
“We managed to beat Bayern a few times during my time at Mainz and was able to keep our league status after a rocky start with just seven points in the first half of the [2020/21] season,” Barreiro commented earlier this week, as reported by Kicker. “No one is putting their money on us. No one thinks we have a chance. But what shapes me as a person is my belief that the impossible can be achieved.“
At a DFB press conference on Thursday, Nagelsmann echoed these sentiments.
“We cannot afford to underestimate any opponent,” Nagelsmann stated. “Luxembourg is performing well. They can play with freedom and have demonstrated in recent matches the ability to adjust their strategy. Therefore, I anticipate a tough game. I’ve never walked into a team meeting and said: We must win by a significant margin. That approach hardly fosters motivation and shows a lack of respect for our opponent.“