Munich (Germany) (AFP)

A three-way defense, and firepower deployed on the wings: Joachim Löw's Germany hopes to overwhelm the France team on Tuesday, for the first shock of the formidable group F of the Euro in Munich.

- Roots -

To beat the world champions, logically favorites, Löw should rely on an organization that he has already broken in: a three-way defense, commanded by the returning Mats Hummels, and two defensive midfielders (Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gündogan) to leave as little space as possible for Kylian Mbappé and others.

"It's good to know that we are two players to close the spaces behind," said Gündogan, an unfortunate Champions League finalist with Manchester City: "It can be a key to the game, if we manage to scratch a lot of balloons to make the French run behind ".

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These five are supposed to form a finally tight defensive block.

But Germany have conceded 20 goals this season in 13 appearances, and the keeper have only kept their clean sheet three times.

Faced with the formidable French attackers, no fault will be allowed.

- Wings -

On the flanks of this device, full-backs Joshua Kimmich and Robin Gosens are much more offensive.

They could be the secret weapon to threaten the defense of four of the Blues.

Kimmich has an incomparable quality of center.

His experience as a club midfielder also allows him to guide and build the game.

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In Germany, its positioning on the right flank by Joachim Löw has been THE subject of all comments for several days.

Because at Bayern, it is in the position of a very remote defensive midfielder that he has established himself as an indisputable conductor.

"Against France, the axis must be densified, analyzes the former coach Berti Vogts, and the duo Gündogan / Kroos is not enough, because they are both too offensive. Without Kimmich in the axis, we will be overwhelmed, "he warns.

Others, like Michael Ballack, think on the contrary that Löw is right, because putting Kimmich back in the center would mean sacrificing Gündogan, Manchester City's centerpiece, or Toni Kroos, sacred Mannschaft monster.

While establishing a lower level player on the right.

Gosens, who plays at Atalanta Bergamo, is quick and has shown in preparation that he can combine brilliantly with his attackers to overwhelm the defenses on his left wing.

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- The point -

For the last test against Latvia, Löw had associated Thomas Müller, Kai Havertz and Serge Gnabry in attack: an exceptional discount, and two talented dribblers.

With the backing of Kimmich and Gosens, they blew up the weak Baltic defense 7-1.

Müller, recalled for his talent (24 assists in the Bundesliga and Champions League this season) and his leadership qualities, is sure to play against France.

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"He has an innate sense of anticipation to sense when his teammates will leave their position and slip into place," said Michael Ballack, former captain of the Mannschaft.

"He can steer the game and then do what is his strength: dive deep," adds Löw.

The coach should not give up Serge Gnabry, his basic man in attack for more than two years.

Formally, the Munich player occupies the position of center-forward, but he actually switches permanently with his teammates in the attack.

Havertz holds the rope for the third post, ahead of Werner, Volland and Sané.

Author of Chelsea's winning goal (1-0) against Manchester City in the Champions League final, Havertz is full of confidence at 21.

As instinctive as Müller, he is less charismatic but his technical finesse has very few equivalents in Europe.

The fact remains that none of these attackers is a real goleador, of those who certainly convert chances into goals and dominations into victories.

"This is a problem that has followed us for a long time," admits Löw, who will perhaps secretly envy Didier Deschamps, the happy coach of the goalkeepers Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema on Tuesday.

© 2021 AFP