Julian Nagelsmann: “France-Germany is always a great match”

Special correspondent to Décines

His opinion on France “France against Germany is always a great match. It will be complicated and we will try to be the best possible opponents for the public. We will try to have a good match. We want to see the progress we have made, we must not take this match lightly and we want to have fun, to have fun against the Blues. France is one of the most complicated opponents in Europe at the moment. They have resources, qualities and playing against them before the Euro (June 14-July 14) is a good thing. He's the dream opponent. When you're a club coach, I don't like friendly matches, when you play small teams and win 23-0, it doesn't do much good. Saturday will be a big match, against a big team, everything is different. »

Germany's ambition against the Blues “We want to play our game, put things in place, set our pace, communicate our desire. It's football, not politics, even less an economic decision which will affect the destiny of thousands of people. We will try to play, to win and if we lose we will play again on Tuesday, then in May and June with the Euro. I’m trying to explain to you our joy of playing.”

The mentality he tries to impose on the selection “We want to ensure that the team has a certain mentality, to change it, with hard-working players on the pitch. Our players have a lot of ability, with the possibility of changing matches... Against Turkey and Austria, we didn't play offensive enough, we missed things, we talked about it. We have to play football, with players free to create, we want to create chances as a team. All players have their role to play and are aware of this. »

The place of football in Germany “Football really holds a big place in German society, it is part of the culture, many follow the Bundesliga every week, the stadiums are full, this sport attracts spectators. The wait? The fans would like to see a good match and a victorious Germany. Same as the Euro. Our country has a lot of expectations for this competition, we hope it will be a great celebration. We need a little luck too. Many people will come to Germany, like in 2006, we hope to have the best possible result. »

His opinion on the progress of Upamecano and Tel, his former players at Bayern “Upa, I worked with him for a long time, at Leipzig and at Bayern, he has slumps from time to time, but he is a professional . He's a great player, with a great personality. Perhaps he needs more stability at Bayern Munich. Matthews? It's a shame he wasn't called up. He's a great talent, he has everything you could want in a player. He’s not a top striker, he still needs to develop and I think we’ll see him very quickly in the A jersey.”

The French in the Bundesliga “What attracts them? You have to ask them, it's one of the best championships in Europe with spectacle and atmosphere in the stands. We know that coaches like French players because they have good development, are robust, fast, L1 is very physical. The profile of the French is highly sought after. »

Euro, pressure on the selection “I'm not always with the team, but we haven't had many opportunities to laugh. I repeat, the important thing is football, that everyone has fun, but it is not a question of life and death. What is a joy for me is when I am on the field, when I coach. We want to win, to have sporting success, but on a personal level, the happiness we have is not defined by sporting results. I'm not going crazy with this pressure. I have loved football since I was 3 years old, it gives me pleasure, we enjoy the moments, and we also want success at home. It's not insurmountable. »

The return of Kroos “He fits very well into the team, it’s as if he never left (retiring after Euro 2021). He has his feet on the ground, has not become too big-headed and does not feel superior to others. On the pitch, he plays like you know. His tempo, his passing speed, the impression is very good. »