Ilkay Gündogan believes Germany can approach their quarter-final against Spain “with a smile”, having already changed the mood in the country and fulfilled their objectives at Euro 2024.
The midfielder said the challenge now is to seek perfection in order to put “ice on ice” by continuing in the competition. To achieve this, coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed he has a plan to stop Spain dominating through Rodri, to manage Lamine Yamal, who Gündogan insisted Germany had no intention of drawing, and that the referees have already been appointed if the game ends in a penalty shootout.
“I’m not focusing on Yamal but on Jamal (Musiala),” Nagelsmann said. “Lamine is a great talent. He’s very good one-on-one and he’s only 16. He goes from inside to outside. His left foot is strong but he always uses his right foot. He’s very good but he has less experience when things don’t go his way or when opponents tackle him harder. We’ll see how he reacts if it gets a bit more difficult. We’re not going to take him down.”
“We have a lot of quality. There are many ways to face a team that likes the ball,” added the coach. “It’s easier to play against a team that wants the ball when you have it yourself, so that’s our ambition. But of course we won’t be able to do that for 90 minutes. Spain always press very high. They have a good transition game now: not so much tiki-taka but straight to goal. They create more chances than in the past. But there is always a risk and we will try to find a solution to that problem and I think we will do it tomorrow.”
“It’s complicated but there is always a solution, that’s a fact. Rodri is central but we have developed solutions and ideas so that he is not always in the spotlight.”
When Gündogan was asked if the quarter-final was like a final, the 33-year-old replied: “Well yes, every game is like a final now: that’s why we talk about quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. It’s a do-or-die situation, we go through to the next round or not. It says a lot about both teams when people say we’re the best so far. It shows that we’ve done a lot of things well, but maybe not perfectly. That’s the challenge and maybe that’s why the excitement is so high, because both teams are at a very good level. There’s nothing better for a player or a fan.”
“Compared to the opening game, I personally feel there is a difference,” continued the Barça player. “The first game, you don’t know what to expect, the pressure is high. People really wanted us to play a good game because of our recent history in tournaments, where we haven’t been good enough. But we played good football and now we are in the quarter-finals against an incredible opponent. We are waiting for it with a smile. From now on, maybe it will be ice on the roof, I think that’s how they say it? We have a responsibility to reach the same level or even better to have two more games to play.”
Asked about the possibility of penalties, Gündogan said: “I think the key word is routine. When you go out to take a penalty, the pressure in a match is different than in training. I don’t think you can reproduce that in training, but you can reproduce your routine, your breathing, your calmness. That’s the most important thing: to lower your heart rate, try to stay calm and enjoy the moment. That’s the hardest thing, otherwise everyone would score.”
“Even the best in the world miss. I think of (Harry) Kane, who is one of the best in the world. His finishing is incredible and he missed that. You have to have the courage to rise to the occasion in crucial moments and you have to have respect for that because this situation is extraordinary and very, very difficult to deal with.”
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Spain coach Luis de la Fuente joked that he would ask UEFA if they would allow his team to tie down Toni Kroos in an attempt to limit his influence on football. “Kroos is a super class, one of those people that football never leaves. Instead, he decided to leave football, which is difficult for me to understand,” De la Fuente said. “He is a great player, with talent, charisma and mastery. It is a shame that he wants to leave football because as a fan I would like him to continue playing.”
“I congratulate Germany a lot so that we don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s over. They have a lot of quality. This match will be very balanced. Germany is a great team that stands out because it has a really solid collective block and great individuals: Musiala, Wirtz, Gündogan, Kroos…
“Sometimes the stats can say that a player has completed 100% of his passes, but they are all four metres out and there is no advantage. That is not the case with Kroos. I would limit him, but I don’t think UEFA will let us do that, so we will have to limit his passing options, try not to let him receive the ball easily. I never said we have a better team than Germany and if someone told you they are cheating you, but if you asked me which of their players I would want, I would not change my players for anyone. For me, my players are the best in the world.”
