CORNERFLICK
Germany have shut the doors on training after the first 15 minutes as Julian Nagelsmann tries to keep opponents guessing before Sunday’s World Cup opener against Curaçao in Houston.
According to Bild, the national side’s sessions in Winston-Salem have included set-piece work led by an assistant coach, with an unusual twist: full-backs have been taking free-kicks from the opposite side of the pitch. Joshua Kimmich, a right-footer, has been striking dead balls from the left, while left-footed Nathaniel Brown has been used from the right.
Nagelsmann also reportedly ran a full 11v11 match on Wednesday for more than an hour, with a side close to the team that beat the United States in a warm-up game. The defence featured Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck and Brown, with Felix Nmecha and Aleksandar Pavlovic in midfield. Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz played behind Kai Havertz.
Manuel Neuer has also returned to full fitness after several weeks of calf problems, though he continued to alternate with training keeper Jonas Urbig. Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel make up the reserve goalkeeping group.