“Four games far too many”: Ilzer criticises Nations League – Baum backs Klopp
After Kovač, Hoffenheim’s Christian Ilzer has also criticised the long international break. Augsburg’s Manuel Baum, by contrast, thinks Klopp’s large-squad approach was right.
Archive image · Photo: XaviYuahanda / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Hoffenheim coach Christian Ilzer on Friday criticised the scheduling of four Nations League games in three weeks. “In these three weeks, four games are far too many,” Ilzer said according to SID. “Two friendlies and then starting the Euro qualifiers would be the much, much better approach. I think UEFA needs to rethink this.” Hoffenheim had players come back “injured or ill”; Ilzer named no names ahead of the game against Hamburg.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovač had already complained about the long break. Augsburg coach Manuel Baum sees it differently: “I find it exciting that people are thinking and coming up with other ideas on how to perhaps reach a goal,” he told t-online about head coach Jürgen Klopp’s large squad. “That’s why I thought the approach in this long international break with four games was right.”
Augsburg’s Hennes Behrens made his senior Germany debut this autumn, while goalkeeper Finn Dahmen was called up but did not play. The Nations League league phase ends on 16 November, with the quarter-finals following in March 2027.