Germany’s head coach Hansi Flick
Germany’s pre-World Cup friendly against Oman is in the books, and now the tournament preparation begins in earnest — starting with a little bit of rest and relaxation, per head coach Hansi Flick.
“We first let the game sink and analyze,” Flick said after the Oman result (via Tz). “We are happy that we are finally in Qatar for the World Cup. The players will also like our hotel, [Thursday] we’ll do some regeneration and Friday is free, so everyone will relax.”
It’s a near-clean bill of health for the Germans entering the tournament, though several — including keeper Manuel Neuer and forward Thomas Müller, both of Bayern Munich — are still beginning to work their way back to full match shape. RB Leipzig’s Lukas Klostermann, a possible first-choice at right-back, is also coming off an extended lay-off; his thirty minutes vs. Oman was part of the plan to get him back on track.
That track is coming fast, and Germany are in a tricky group. Japan are up first, with Spain and Costa Rica looming.
“When we start preparing on Saturday, everyone will be focused on the game against Japan and we’ll see a different team and a different physicality,” Flick vowed at his post-game press conference. “We’ll need that as well to compete in the tournament.”
[Source: bavarianfootballworks.com]