Alexander Nübel expressed frustration over conceding a goal in his Germany debut but emphasized that the result mattered more. Meanwhile, the manager who overlooked Ryan Gravenberch at Bayern, Thomas Tuchel, admitted he “expected” the midfielder’s current rise in form, highlighting how quickly Arne Slot has unlocked Gravenberch’s elite potential.
Nübel Frustrated By Debut Goal But Wishes Rival Luck
Being a goalkeeper is a tough role, where every move is closely examined, and a player’s performance is often judged by just a few key moments. Alexander Nübel felt this pressure during his senior Germany debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite his solid footwork and reliable sweeper skills, the only shot on goal from the opposition found the back of the net, overshadowing his efforts.
Speaking after the match, the Bayern Munich loanee acknowledged that he remains frustrated by the conceded goal but emphasized that the result was of greater importance. “The header was well placed right next to the post. It was difficult for me. I tried everything, but it wasn’t enough,” Nübel said, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. I get annoyed about every goal we concede. But I’m glad we won the game. It’s all good.”
Head coach Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that both of his top goalkeepers would get playing time during this international break, meaning Nübel will step aside for TSG Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann in Monday’s rematch against the Netherlands. However, the former Schalke goalkeeper doesn’t appear to wish for his competitor’s failure.
Manager Who Overlooked Gravenberch Says He “Expected” It
By the time Gravenberch signed with Liverpool for £38.5 million in 2023, everyone at Bayern had accepted his time there as a failure.
Thomas Tuchel, the manager when Gravenberch transferred to Anfield, stated that his skillset didn’t fit into the 4-2-3-1 formation he used.
The Dutchman’s resurgence as a world-class No. 6 under Arne Slot – in a system strikingly similar to a 4-2-3-1, despite the coach’s denial – highlights the wasted opportunities he had in Munich.
Nagelsmann handed Gravenberch 24 of his 34 appearances for Bayern, but the midfielder only made four starts and played a total of 704 minutes.
Before the match between his Germany team and Gravenberch’s Netherlands, Nagelsmann told Sky Germany’s Kerry Hau that he had “expected” the midfielder’s current growth.
“He’s doing it perfectly,” the Germany manager said.
“But I expected this development because Ryan is a smart boy and a brilliant player.”
Nagelsmann went on to suggest that politics prevented him from giving Gravenberch more playing time.
“It was complicated for him at the time because we had Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in midfield,” he added.
“I was the new coach at FC Bayern, and it wasn’t easy to put players from the German national team on the bench.
“For Ryan, it was a new situation that he had to get used to because he had almost always played from the start at Ajax.”
It would be unfair to place all the blame on Nagelsmann for Bayern wasting Gravenberch’s talents, especially considering he averaged just 49.5 minutes per game during his 38 appearances under Jurgen Klopp last season.
It highlights Slot’s influence that, in such a short time, he has managed to unlock the elite potential of a player who has long been regarded as capable of reaching the top.
“It is not that big of a surprise if you bring the quality like Ryan Gravenberch in if you start to work with him, you do the right program, and he has the team-mates he has, that he can progress,” the Liverpool head coach explained earlier this month.
“That’s what we’re seeing at the moment. Now, it’s up to him to keep the standards as they are at this moment.
“That’s a challenge because he, like all the others, has to play every three days.
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