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The front page of Saturday's Leipziger Volkszeitung was dominated by Germany’s footballers but not for the reasons many envisaged.
With the World Cup creeping ever closer, Germany’s final home game before business begins in Qatar was always going to carry huge significance. The expectation, clearly, was that Hungary would be comprehensively dispatched and a message would be sent to their rivals.
What transpired, however, was a display so bland and one-dimensional that the 37,000 home fans let their feelings be known in shrill fashion, prompting the headline: ‘Verpatzt — Pfiffe in Leipzig.’ Translated, it referenced the whistles of disapproval that broke out both at half-time and the end.
Germany manager Hansi Flick was beaten for the first time since taking the job by Hungary
England might have problems but this first loss of the Hansi Flick era suggested Germany, who travel to Wembley on Monday, have plenty of their own issues to solve if they are to stand a chance of conquering the world once more.
‘It was disappointing because we wanted more from this game,’ Antonio Rudiger told The Mail on Sunday. ‘In the first half, we lost the battle against them. They were winning all the duels and second balls and we were making so many mistakes.’
Rudiger, now of Real Madrid, will not be involved at Wembley as a booking against Hungary triggered a suspension. But it didn’t stop him providing an honest appraisal of the situation. He kept shaking his head as he spoke about the first half that sparked the noisy derision.
Antonio Rudiger will miss the England match after picking up a yellow card against Hungary
‘In all honesty, that corner they scored from? You cannot concede a goal like that at this level,’ he grumbled, referring to the way Hungary captain Adam Szalai left his markers and guided a looping back heel into the far post, thus ending Germany’s hopes of progressing in the Nations League.
‘We definitely have something to do, especially against the teams who sit back very deep and defend. To be fair to them, they defended well. Tactically, they were well
