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EURO 2024

Euro hosts Germany set to face Denmark after Swiss ‘warning shot’

Euro 2024 hosts Germany come into Saturday's clash against Denmark in Dortmund hoping to have learned from Sunday's 1-1 draw with Switzerland, their final group stage match.

Published: 28 June 2024 08:49 CEST

Germany's forward #09 Niclas Füllkrug celebrates scoring his team's first goal with his teammate Germany's midfielder #19 Leroy Sane during the match between Switzerland and Germany in Frankfurt on June 23, 2024. Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP

After almost a decade of struggles at major tournaments, Germany were riding high after dominant wins over Scotland and Hungary to start the Euros.

Germany however came crashing back down to earth against Switzerland and were on course for defeat, before Niclas Füllkrug’s stoppage time header snatched a draw – and with it, first place in the group.

It was a wake-up call the hosts needed, particularly with fans already eyeing a fourth Euros crown, and a reminder that coach Julian Nagelsmann has plenty to work on.

‘We underestimated them’

Germany boast a shinier trophy cabinet than their northern neighbours but were famously beaten by the Danes in the Euro 1992 final.

Denmark’s triumph after failing to qualify and then being admitted following the pre-tournament exclusion of Yugoslavia became a fairytale, but Germany still laments taking the Danes lightly.

A Euros and World Cup winner as a player, Berti Vogts coached Germany in that 1992 final and admitted in his column in the RP newspaper on Thursday that his team “underestimated” Denmark.

“In 1992 we lost the Euros final against a great Danish team even though we were the favourites – like the German team is now,” he wrote.

“Everyone thought we had the title in the bag — unfortunately some players did too.”

Well-drilled and with a smattering of excellent players at top clubs, 2020 semi-finalists Denmark resemble Switzerland in many ways.

Vogts said the current Danish incarnation may not boast the same level of quality as their 1992 counterparts, but that the pressure is well and truly on the Germans.

“The Danes were hungry for success and carefree, they just played football and took us by surprise – also because we underestimated them.

“The German team should not make that mistake now. The Switzerland game was therefore an important warning shot.”

Questions for Nagelsmann

Germany won just three of 11 games in 2023 but are yet to lose in 2024, winning five times and drawing twice, thanks at least in part to Nagelsmann picking the same starting XI.

The coach only deviated from his starters when forced through injury or unavailability.

The policy may have given Germany stability, but it cost him centre-back Jonathan Tah for the Denmark clash, after the defender picked up a second yellow card against Switzerland.

In his place, Borussia Dortmund’s talented yet unpredictable central defender Nico Schlotterbeck will line-up on Saturday.

Antonio Rudiger is also in doubt for the clash with a hamstring injury, although Schlotterbeck said Thursday: “I hope it works out that he returns.”

“I had the same injury already and it’s not easy to get out of your mind.”

Fans of the German national football team gather on June 23, 2024 in Berlin at the fan zone close to Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate. Photo by Joerg CARSTENSEN / AFP

Schlotterbeck said the Germans knew “actually everything” about the Danes.

“The whole match plan, defence, offence. We know about Denmark and how we will play them,” he said.

The 24-year-old looked forward to the match in his home stadium on Saturday, saying Dortmund’s usual yellow wall would become a “wall of white.”

While Tah’s absence will force Nagelsmann’s hand, he may be tempted to replace Arsenal forward Kai Havertz with Niclas Füllkrug, who has scored twice off the bench so far.

Since making his debut aged 29 in 2022, Füllkrug has 13 goals to Havertz’s seven – with the Dortmund striker normally coming off the bench.

Füllkrug, who was playing second division football just two seasons ago, said he was not concerned about his role as supersub.

“The title is so much more important than the individual.”

By Daniel WIGHTON

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Can Germany's hosting of Euro 2024 be judged a success so far?

As Euro 2024 reaches the half way mark with the knock-out rounds to come the tournament has run fairly smoothly, but has not been without troubling incidents from flare ups of violence and severe transport issues for fans.

The Local considers the issues the tournament has had and what Germany has done to solve the problems.

Flare ups of violence and hooliganism

Overall the tournament has been largely trouble free especially when compared to previous European football tournaments. We are a long way from the dark days of Euro 2000 and even Euro 2016, which were both hit by major outbreaks of trouble.

But there have been flare ups, most recently on Tuesday in Munich ahead of the Denmark vs Serbia match.

As thousands of Serbia fans gathered at Marienplatz there were clashes with police with bottles and chairs thrown in the direction of officers. Seven fans were arrested and several officers were injured. Images of the clashes were posted on social media.

On Munich’s Marienplatz, Serbian fans brutally clash with the German police ahead of the Serbia-Denmark game tonight. pic.twitter.com/2suQZLhCQ0

— Jakub Bielamowicz (@KubaBielamowicz) June 25, 2024

There have been other clashes too, notably a huge brawl involving Serbia and England fans before their opening clash in Gelsenkirchen. There were also clashes between Turkey and Georgia fans inside the stadium during their Group F match.

Wow it’s all kicking off between Turkey and Georgia fans… 😳😨pic.twitter.com/n7dgfWkJGY

— The Away Fans (@theawayfans) June 18, 2024

But there were fears of a lot worse in the run up to the tournament, with German police openly admitting they had no idea how England fans would behave and how many Serbian hooligans would travel to the country.

Ap News, for example, wrote that “a recent surge in violence around football games is contributing to concerns over security when Germany hosts the European Championship.”

But German interior minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) insisted that police and security forces were ready for “all imaginable dangers”, adding that 22,000 officers would be on duty every day during the tournament.

German police have been working with foreign police forces to communicate about threats, particularly ahead of high-risk matches.

Germany has also stepped up checks at its borders and at train stations and airports. More than 400 people have been arrested since the start of the Euros and about 50 hooligans have been barred from entering Germany.

Cities overrun by fans and travel chaos

For those who don’t follow football or enjoy joining in the fanfare, among the more pressing issues with Euro 2024 is that German cities are overrun with fans.

With match games happening in ten cities around the country, and matches being broadcast on TVs from what feels like every bar and corner store in the country, the tournament is impossible to ignore. But not everyone is happy about it.

A survey by the opinion research institute Civey found that roughly half of Berlin residents are annoyed by the closure of Straße des 17. Juni for the city’s “fan mile”, which is the country’s largest fan zone. The fanzone will remain in place until July 25th.

Outside of fan zones, residents have noticed congestion on city streets and packed public transport on match days in some areas.

As would be expected, virtually everything – from Deutsche Bahn trains to local pubs – is operating at a higher capacity with 2.7 million fans from abroad visiting Germany this month.

In particular, public transport in Gelsenkirchen has proven to be a hotspot for travel chaos following matches. The issue was initially reported after the England vs. Serbia match, when crowds of fans were left waiting for trains for hours after the game ended.

Bizarrely, representatives from local transport companies brushed off any criticism, suggesting that trains and buses were running effectively. But similar issues were seen again after the Spain vs. Italy match a few days later.

England fans might understandably fear returning to Gelsenkirchen for their last 16 match on Sunday.

It’s not all bad – in fact, for many it’s all good

Even among those who don’t tap into the football frenzy, the championship and all the events and tourists it brings, do offer a chance for local German residents to meet an interesting mix of European visitors.

Among some of the touching highlights so far were Germany falling in love with Scottish fans and Turkish immigrants celebrating their home country’s victory across the country.

A special mention also goes out to Dutch fans who have reliably brought a sea of orange to their team’s games. Pre-match scenes of thousands of orange-clad supporters bopping to the earworm “Left Right” have predictably gone viral.

“I think fans from all over Europe feel very welcome with us,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has said.

Despite the aforementioned challenges, the overall experience of Euro 2024 has so far been positive off the pitch.

With the big matches yet to come the stakes will be raised another notch in the coming weeks, both on and off the pitch.

With reporting by AFP.