Germany U21 head coach Antonio Di Salvo announced three additional injury withdrawals just ahead of Friday’s international fixture against Belgium in Essen. Nicolo Tresoldi, Hendry Blank, and Mio Backhaus will not be participating in the matches against Belgium and Croatia.
During Thursday’s pre-match press conference held in Düsseldorf, which was attended by Get German Football News, Di Salvo shared that Backhaus arrived at the national-team camp with a hand injury. The SC Freiburg goalkeeper is unable to train and has already started heading home.
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Additionally, Di Salvo confirmed that Club Brugge striker Tresoldi and Greuther Fürth defender Blank sustained concussions from a collision that occurred during Wednesday’s training session. The players collided while contesting an aerial ball during a set-piece situation, leading them to complain of headaches and subsequently undergo medical evaluations. Blank stayed overnight in the hospital as a precaution, as confirmed by Greuther Fürth.
The coach emphasized that the DFB will adhere to necessary concussion protocols and will prioritize the players’ recovery. Blank has already left the national-team camp, and Tresoldi is expected to follow suit on Friday. Neither player will be available for Germany’s upcoming international matches.
Tresoldi’s absence is particularly disappointing for fans, especially given his strong performances for the national team during the last international break.
Two Replacements Called Up Following Injuries
This series of withdrawals adds further complications for Di Salvo, who had already faced numerous adjustments to his initial November squad. Blank had recently been called up to fill in for Karim Coulibaly, who withdrew due to health issues. Other players, including Lukas Ullrich, Mika Baur, and Arijon Ibrahimovic, also had to drop out because of injuries.
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In response to the latest challenges, Di Salvo has summoned goalkeeper Hannes Hermann and TSG Hoffenheim striker Max Moerstedt. Hermann, on loan at Jahn Regensburg from Hamburger SV, joined the national-team camp by Thursday afternoon. Moerstedt was still en route to Düsseldorf and was not expected to participate in the day’s final training session.
Dennis Seimen Set to Start Both Matches
Backhaus’ injury has also altered Di Salvo’s plans for the goalkeeping position. The coach had initially intended to rotate between Backhaus and VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Dennis Seimen, providing both players a chance to showcase their skills in the competition for the number one position.
Now that Backhaus is unavailable, Di Salvo stated at Thursday’s press conference that the strategy has changed.
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“The plan is for Dennis to play both games,” Di Salvo noted when asked about the goalkeeping situation.
This decision makes it unlikely that first-time U21 call-up Tom Ritzy Hülsmann, who recently made headlines after being called up, will make his international debut during the November window unless situations change. The Stade Reims goalkeeper remains in the squad alongside Seimen and newly called-up Hermann.
Germany is set to face Belgium at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße in Essen on Friday, November 13, at 18:00, before heading to Rijeka to take on Croatia four days later. Both opponents have secured a place in next summer’s European U21 Championship in Albania and Serbia, and Di Salvo aims to use these matches to assess his team’s development against challenging international rivals, despite the significant disruptions to his squad.
