Goalkeeper duel with Nübel: Baumann has not given up on Germany
Ahead of Thursday night's Europa League game against Beşiktaş, Hoffenheim captain Oliver Baumann says head coach Klopp has not closed the door on him. Alexander Nübel will be in goal for the Turkish side.
Archive image · Photo: Silesia711 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Oliver Baumann still hopes to return to the Germany team. The 36-year-old goalkeeper and TSG Hoffenheim captain said in an RTL and Sky interview, according to dpa, that he had spoken with head coach Jürgen Klopp: "It's about age and rebuilding. Still, he hasn't closed the door." Asked whether he had considered retiring from international football, he replied: "Why should I have?"
Baumann has not been in Klopp's recent squads. Before the World Cup, then head coach Julian Nagelsmann replaced him as number one. "I have no problem at all with Julian," Baumann said; the two spoke openly after the tournament.
On Thursday (21:00 CEST, RTL and Sky) Hoffenheim face Beşiktaş Istanbul in the Europa League – with Alexander Nübel, a member of Klopp's squad, in goal. On his relationship with Nübel, Baumann said: "I think we both wished each other only the best. It was very respectful." Hoffenheim go into the game under pressure after three straight competitive defeats.