Germany ended their extended international break with a relatively scrappy 0-0 draw with Greece in Thessaloniki in what was Jürgen Klopp’s fourth match in charge of the national team. Despite edging out the Greeks with 21 shots and five on target, Germany was unable to find the back of the net legally as Jonathan Burkardt’s first-half goal was ruled out after VAR had spotted a handball from Tom Bischof in the buildup to the goal.
The six yellow cards and Greece’s sporting director getting a red card perhaps
add commentary to the scrappiness of the affair, as both sides might’ve been a bit lucky not to have picked up any serious injuries with the way some of the challenges started to fly in. Germany committed 17 fouls and Greece committed 8; the second-highest tally of their four Nations League matches, second only to the 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Speaking after the match, Bayern Munich’s Tom Bischof, who got his second start of the international break, was grateful for his time with the senior national team, having spent the first chunk of the international break with Germany’s U-21 side. He scored in Germany’s 2-0 win over Serbia at the Allianz Arena in Munich and gave Klopp plenty to think about when he goes to make his next squad for November’s international break, and subsequently his squads for when EURO 2028 qualifying begins.
“Even if we would have liked to win today, I had a lot of fun this week,” Bischof told Sky Sport’s Kerry Hau in the mixed zone. The level of understanding and stability he looked to exhibit playing alongside Bayern teammate Aleksandar Pavlović in the matches against Serbia and Greece appeased a great deal of Germany fans that had been clamoring for Klopp to use that exact double midfield pivot for the national team and could be something he considers using more often, evne with Joshua Kimmich in the mix.
Regardless of Bischof’s standing with Klopp and the senior squad, he still has ambitions of being with the U-21 side for next year’s U-21 EUROs, which Germany qualified for with flying colors, topping their qualifying group. “That’s a goal of mine, I want to go for it with the boys,” Bischof said with regard to the U-21s and next year’s EUROs.
The Bayern midfielder could very well find himself in a situation where he’s routinely called up by Klopp, captains the U-21s at next year’s EUROs, plays a part in EURO 2028 qualifying for the senior squad, and is then in Klopp’s squad for EURO 2028 in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- New, improved notifications system!
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
