'VAR is exhausting me'

The German team was too impatient; they need to be more patient.

Facing Denmark – a team that reached the semi-finals of EURO 2020 – was no easy task for Germany. Despite enduring relentless attacks from Germany in the first half, Denmark held firm and fought back strongly. While Germany had 15 shots (9 on target), Denmark also threatened Manuel Neuer's goal 11 times. At the start of the second half, while Germany was still struggling to find a way past Kasper Schmeichel, Denmark managed to put the ball past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Unfortunately for them, VAR intervened and disallowed the goal. Taking advantage of their psychological edge, Germany increased the pressure and scored two goals through Kai Havertz from the penalty spot (53rd minute) and Jamal Musiala (69th minute) to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

Coach Nagelsmann breathed a sigh of relief: "VAR has made my emotions a mess. But perhaps it makes the sport a little fairer."

The first twenty minutes were probably Germany's best since the start of EURO 2024. We applied good pressure and ensured excellent high-pressure pressing. Then the pressure eased off as Denmark put up a strong resistance. Additionally, the game was interrupted by the weather. Such interruptions are never helpful for us, but thankfully they came at a crucial moment. Germany took full advantage of this to improve in several areas.”

Coach Nagelsmann (left) led the German national team to the quarter-finals of EURO 2024.

Having defeated Denmark, the German team has reached the quarter-finals. Coach Nagelsmann's team will face the winner of the match between Spain and Georgia. The 36-year-old coach was cautious and pointed out weaknesses in the German team if they want to win the championship on home soil: “There were periods in the match where things got out of control for the German team. The whole team faced pressure from the opponent, which was neither good nor easy. The German team was often impatient in some situations and frequently made mistakes. When attacking, the forwards also didn't capitalize on opportunities well. The German team needs to be more patient, wait for each moment, and limit dangerous, overly fast passes. After this match, some of the quick counter-attacking strategies will definitely need to be practiced many times.”

VAR caused discomfort for the Danish team.

As for the Danish team, despite being eliminated, they still showed great fighting spirit. "The Little Soldiers" tried hard to attack, creating many notable chances, but accuracy was something Eriksen and his teammates lacked. Furthermore, after VAR disallowed Joachim Andersen's goal and subsequently awarded Germany a penalty, the Danish team's morale was somewhat affected.

"The Danish team lost 0-2, the result was decided by two VAR interventions. I have the photo here, the difference is only 1 cm," coach Kasper Hjulmand said, showing a photo on his phone to reporters.

Coach Kasper Hjulmand continued: "VAR is exhausting for me, and the rules about handballs are ridiculous. We can't expect our defenders to always keep their arms folded when defending. Joachim Andersen was running normally, he jumped up, and the ball hit his hand from just 1 meter away. I rarely talk about these decisions, but it was decisive for this match. What the Danish team went through was frustrating."

The Danish national team couldn't replicate the miracle of EURO 2020.

At the end of his speech, coach Kasper Hjulmand offered words of encouragement to his players. He affirmed his commitment to the Danish national team for future tournaments: "The Danish team was under pressure in the first 15 minutes. However, we must also admit that the German team was too strong. The Danish players need to create more opportunities. We have many young players and need to play more directly."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-nagelsmann-noi-diem-yeu-doi-tuyen-duc-hlv-dan-mach-var-lam-toi-qua-met-18524063006385122.htm