Playmaker Klopp aims to claim Greek revenge at the Toumba-Theater

Coach Klopp, i.e. Jürgen Klopp, leads the DFB team in Thessaloniki against Greece and wants to aim for revenge for the “Greek tragedy” after the 2-0 win over Serbia. He emphasizes that the atmosphere in the bubbling Toumba Theatre will be especially hot. The match is scheduled for Sunday at 20:45.

Motivation and Atmosphere

Klopp describes the encounter as a “hot atmosphere, a next challenge”. He adds: “It will be stressful – but the next step in development. We learn and perform under pressure.” This comes from Ulrich Wagner in Thessaloniki.

Serge Gnabry is out due to workload management. Goalkeeper Jonas Urbig earns his second international cap, and Klopp stresses that this has nothing to do with a number‑one position. Urbig is meant to gain valuable match experience.

Klopp looks to the young newcomers Finn Jeltsch and Felix Keidel as well as the revived Florian Wirtz. He trusts that Wirtz and his teammates have a great chance to win the match. The coach says the team is in a better mindset after the Serbia success than after the defeat in Augsburg.

Tactical Preparation

The squad watched on Saturday evening the video of the Greek match against the Netherlands (2:2) to analyse the possible system. Klopp expects the Greeks to defend again in a deep block, as he observed in Augsburg. Florian Wirtz adds that it is not easier than in Germany and that a very good performance is required.

With four points, the DFB team is at half‑time behind league leader Greece with seven points and the Netherlands with five points. Only the two top‑placed teams advance to the knockout phase of the Nations League. “We want to achieve a significantly better result than in the first leg,” assures Klopp.

So far, all German national team coaches have won their second away match, except Berti Vogts (draw) and Erich Ribbeck (loss). Klopp hopes to continue this streak. The team is ready to take on the challenge in the Toumba Theatre.