Hansi Flick Sacked – Germany in Chaos ahead of Euro 2024

The 4-1 defeat to Japan in the friendly was the final case for Hansi Flick’s exit as Germany are in turmoil without a coach and the proper guidance, with less than nine months to go for the Euro 2024, to which they play hosts. 

It is a disappointing 12 months for German football – with an early exit from the Qatar World Cup and a winless streak from their recent matches. 

The team’s performance has been lackluster, and with defensive issues and disorganized play, Germany has much catching up to do. 

The fans are also furious, with the following slowly phasing out from making it to the grounds. A reliable reseller platform, Seatsnet indicated that the demand for German international tickets is steadily declining after the World Cup.

Flick’s Struggles: from Bayern to International 

Hansi Flick achieved everything at Bayern Munich but failed to replicate that at the national level. His coaching style worked exceptionally with Bayern, who were back-to-back league and Champions League winners, but the same level of cohesion was lacking in the German side. 

There were several other external factors that came in between Flick’s tenure, including the dispue over the One Love armband and the Manuel Neur injury. 

The Amazon documentary series on Germany’s World Cup campaign saw several unconventional tactics that Flick used, and that later backfired. 

New Manager Hunt

With Germany on the hunt for a new manager, Julian Nagelsmann emerges as a favorite, but his release from Bayern can be challenging. 

Jurgen Klopp is another option, but he won’t be available immediately, with his new contract with Liverpool. Even for a new manager, the pressure is immense, as he will need to bridge the gap between the teams, the fans, and the management to be ready for next year’s Euro 2024. 

The challenges ahead are significant, and the timing of Flick’s departure adds to the urgency of finding a suitable replacement.

German FA Eyes Julian Nagelsmann and Matthias Sammer 

The German Football Association (DFB) has started discussions with Julian Nagelsmann and Matthias Sammer as potential successors, and in the meantime, Rudi Voller will run the lines as interim manager. 

He will be in charge of the game against France, and the DFB is actively seeking suitors for the role. 

Nagelsmann left Bayern in March after an internal clash, which might be the obvious choice, but the national body also looks for options beyond the ex-Bayern manager. 

Matthias Sammer, a German football legend who previously served as Bayern Munich’s sporting director and is an advisor for Borussia Dortmund, is also on the hunt list.

Earlier, a poll from fans purchasing tickets on Seatsnet for possible replacements saw Nagelsmann as a front-runner, but the issue with his appointment is with his former employer, Bayern. While he is still on pay-roll for Bayern Munich, the German body must take responsibility for the remainder of his compensation before signing. 

Nevertheless, Germany must act fast as time is off their side. 

Italy’s Path to EURO 2024 gets Complicating

Italy’s journey to the EURO 2024 tournament is becoming increasingly intriguing as they rely on either automatic qualification or getting a playoff spot. 

Here’s the current situation:

– England leads the group with 13 points from five games.

– Ukraine follows with seven points from four matches.

– Italy has four points after three games.

– North Macedonia also holds four points but has already played four times.

– Malta is at the bottom, having lost all four outings.

Only the top two teams in the group stages receive the automatic qualification luxury. 

Italy still has a chance to be in the top 2 as the games span out. However, if they fail to make it to the top two, they have a safety net – they already have a position in the playoff secured. 

In the playoffs, Italy will be one of 12 teams competing for three available spots at the EURO 2024 tournament in Germany. 

Similar to the 2022 World Cup, the playoffs will have a semifinal and a final, an alternate route to qualifying. 

Last time around, when it was the FIFA World Cup, Italy failed to get through the playoffs, disappointing millions of fans. The winners from Euro 2020.

This time, the route through the playoffs might be relatively easy, but the pressure will be on Italy to make it through by finishing top 2.

Cristiano Ronaldo Suspended

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to the Portuguese national team, which was met with much anticipation, was momentarily disrupted by a suspension. This suspension has unfortunately ruled him out of Portugal’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Luxembourg.

Fans were overjoyed to see the usual Cristiano Ronaldo in his element as reseller tickets saw a surge for the qualifiers for the games involving Portugal. 

Seatsnet indicated a higher demand for qualifier games than usual, as Portugal fielded Ronaldo in the starting lineup. 

The suspension resulted from a yellow card Ronaldo received during Portugal’s recent 1-0 victory over Slovakia. In a moment of recklessness, he made contact with former Manchester United teammate Martin Dubravka, the Slovakian goalkeeper, resulting in the booking.

Despite this setback, the 38-year-old Ronaldo has earned praise from his fellow Portuguese forward, Goncalo Ramos. 

Ramos praised Ronaldo for his unwavering support for the team, emphasizing that he had been with the team until the day before the announcement of his suspension, offering assistance in any way he could.

Even without Ronaldo, Portugal massacred Luxemburg, winning the game 9-0. 

Portugal is maintaining its impressive run in the Euro 2024 qualification campaign, having secured victories in all five of their group-stage matches thus far. 

Their flawless record places them in a commanding position over Slovakia and Luxembourg.

With only four matches remaining in the qualifying campaign, Portugal is well-positioned to secure their place in Euro 2024. 

Scotland Nears Euro 2024 Qualification

Scotland are almost there in securing automatic qualification for Euro 2024 with a commanding performance in the qualifiers. 

Scotland is on the verge of securing their spot in the Euro 2024 tournament after a commanding performance in their recent qualifying match against Cyprus in Larnaca. Under manager Steve Clarke, the Scottish team delivered an impressive display, winning the match 3-0.

Scotland wasted no time in taking control of the game, with Scott McTominay scoring a crucial goal just six minutes into the match. A well-placed cross from Andy Robertson, deftly redirected by John McGinn, found McTominay, who headed the ball into the net from close range.

The team continued to assert their dominance, and only 11 minutes later, Ryan Porteous volleyed home from close range, extending Scotland’s lead to two goals.

This victory marks a historic achievement for Scotland, as it’s the first time in their history that they have won their opening five matches in Euro qualifying. 

With this win, they have also secured victory in their last eight matches across all competitions. For Seatsnet and other ticket resellers, more requests will come from Scotland fans ahead of the main event next year. 

Although Scotland has yet to qualify for Euro 2024 in Germany officially, their flawless record of five wins from five matches and 15 points on the board suggests their qualification is imminent.