The four-time world champion will arrive in Qatar with the memory of the 2018 Russia debacle
MADRID, 1 Apr. (SportsFinding) –
The German team will be Spain’s first great rival in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, a four-time champion who will arrive with the urgency of establishing a new project with Hansi Flick on his bench, but with a team that is undoubtedly strong and favorite.
‘La Roja’ took the first in the forehead in the draw for the group stage of the World Cup that starts on November 21, held this Friday in Doha. Spain went to Group E and from Pot 2 fell one of its worst rivals, Germany, completing the group Japan and the winner of Costa Rica and New Zealand.
The ‘Mannschaft’ finished the cycle (2006-2021) of Joachim Löw in the last European Championship losing prestige in that French event, where they did not go beyond the round of 16, and especially before in the 2018 World Cup. Four years ago, Germany went to Russia as defending champions and did not get past the group stage for the first time in their history.
Löw’s wear and tear seemed already evident, even though the youth ranks continued to nurture the senior’s array of young talents, and the loss to England last summer was his last serve. Flick, architect of a Bayern champion of everything, took charge of the selection with an immediate reaction.
Since that defeat against the English, the German team has not lost a game and ended its qualifying phase for the World Cup in an overwhelming way, which ended with 36 goals for and only 4 against. The moment of truth, however, will be in Qatar, in search of one of the tickets to the round of 16.
Musiala and Wirtz are one of those gems in German football, while Chelsea teammates Havertz and Werner are the offensive reference for Flick’s team. The ex-Bayern coach’s confidence lies in an already established generation led by Sané, Adeyemi, Gnabry and Kimmich, a lot of quality to change the dynamics, although in defense they are not a completely reliable team.
The world champion in 2014 for the last time will face Spain in the second game, on November 27, with the bad memory of the last match. The German team took a historic 6-0 in Seville two years ago, in the first great exhibition of Luis Enrique’s team and surely a turning point for both.
The duel of giants gave confidence to Spain and its great renewal, while confirming the German downturn. With eight months still to go until the World Cup arrives, there are many unknowns to be resolved, but Flick’s men will be hungry to return their team to its historic place, something that Spain has already partially achieved in Euro 2020.