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Alexandra Popp (l.) and Lina Magull at the 2023 World Cup in Australia
Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
The German footballers are starting the European Championship qualification without captain Alexandra Popp, who has a knee injury. In addition to defense chief Marina Hegering (torn muscle fiber), another important regular from VfL Wolfsburg is missing from interim national coach Horst Hrubesch's squad. On April 5th (8:30 p.m. / TV: ARD) the DFB selection will play against Austria in Linz, four days later in front of their home crowd in Aachen against Iceland (6:10 p.m. / TV: ZDF).
Former Frankfurt player Bibiane Schulze Solano, who is now under contract with Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league, has been nominated for the first time. Lina Magull (Inter Milan), Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina Courage), Nicole Anyomi (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Melissa Kössler (TSG Hoffenheim) also return to Hrubesch's 23-man squad. Magull moved from FC Bayern to Italy in January and impressed there with six goals in eight league games.
"For us it's now a matter of accepting the situation and giving other players the chance to show themselves," said Hrubesch about the injuries to Popp and Hegering. Schulze Solano is “an interesting defender who has been on our list for a long time. I am convinced that she – just like our returnees – can strengthen our team with her individual quality.«
“We want to attack”
At the start of qualifying for the 2025 European Championships, Hrubesch wants to take “the momentum” from the successful Olympic qualification with him. "We want to attack and build on the performance against the Netherlands," he said. Linda Dallmann (Bayern Munich) and Sophia Kleinherne (Eintracht Frankfurt) are only nominated on demand.
The DFB team will gather in Linz on Easter Monday. Poland completes qualifying group A4. The eight group winners and runners-up qualify directly for the European Championships in Switzerland. The third and fourth placed teams have to take the detour via the playoffs.
mlb/sid/dpa