BERLIN (Reuters) – Hosts Germany will play two friendly matches against Ukraine and Greece in June days before the start of the European championships on home soil, the team said on Tuesday.
The Germans will host Ukraine in Nuremberg on June 3 before taking on Greece in Moenchengladbach four days later. Euro 2024 kicks of on June 14 with Germany facing Scotland in their first Group A match.
“We have to prepare for different styles and systems of opponents ahead of the Euro (2024),” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said in a statement.
“Ukraine and Greece are two fighting, passionate teams and we had problems with such opponents lately.”
Nagelsmann, who took over following the sacking of Hansi Flick in September 2023, has had a mixed start with a win and a draw during a U.S. trip in October followed by two straight losses in Austria and at home against Turkey in November.
There is now mounting pressure in Germany for Nagelsmann and his team to start delivering with the Euros less than 100 days away.
“That is why both these teams after the matches against France and Netherlands (in March) are the right tests,” Nagelsmann said.
The Germans travel to France on March 23 and host the Netherlands three days later in their friendly matches this month.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ros Russell)
Source Agencies
