Germany coach warns his players they will ‘have to suffer’ against Spain | OneFootball

The Germany coach, Christian Wück, has said his players must “do a lot of chasing” and “suffer” in order to beat Spain in Zurich on Wednesday and reach the Euro 2025 final.

Spain, the world champions, are the clear favourites after winning all of their four games in Switzerland, scoring 16 goals. Germany lost 4-1 against Sweden in the group stage and had to go the distance against France in the quarter-final, winning on penalties despite having had Kathrin Hendrich sent off after 13 minutes.

Wück is aware that Spain will have more of the ball but is confident that Germany have the weapons to hurt Montse Tomé’s side. “We all know the Spanish players and how they stand out because of their passing game,” he said. “We will have to do a lot of chasing and we have to suffer. We also have to wait for the right moments [to go forward] but these moments will come.

“We have to show our strengths in attack, which we couldn’t really do against France, when we have the ball. We have our philosophy and our principles and how we want to play as a German team and they haven’t changed. We want to go into the duels and actively win the ball.”

Spain have had one more day’s rest, having beaten Switzerland 2-0 on Friday, before Germany’s energy‑sapping win against France. Germany produced a heroic display after Hendrich’s sending-off for pulling Griedge Mbock’s hair in her own penalty area. They went 1-0 down from the resulting penalty but Sjoeke Nüsken equalised in the first half before a rearguard action enabled Germany to take the game to penalties.

Rebecca Knaak, one of the defenders who had to deal with sustained France pressure, said the performance had set the benchmark for the players’ work rate: “The game against France showed what is needed in terms of fighting spirit, passion, desire and unity. Those are the values that we have to embody and they will be important against Spain, too.”

Germany won eight out of nine European championships between 1989 and 2013 (the first secured by West Germany) but countries such as Spain – and England – have moved ahead of them. They did reach the Euro 2022 final, losing against the Lionesses, but the following year’s World Cup was another step back, the team going out at the group stage.

Wück – whose appointment was announced in March 2024, with his first game against England in October – has introduced a more attacking style with the wingers Jule Brand and Klara Bühl crucial to his tactics. Both players have been in fine form in Switzerland, with Wück picking out the former for particular praise on Tuesday. “Jule’s performances from the first game against Poland through to the quarter-final against France speak for themselves. She has taken the next step up and proved that she is continuing to develop. I am very pleased with her.”

Spain have their own array of attacking players with Esther González (four goals) and Alèxia Putellas (three) among the tournament’s four top scorers, and Clàudia Pina and Athenea del Castillo one behind. Putellas said on Tuesday that they had to keep their focus to reach the final.

“We have to do what we’ve been doing so far – and try to be perfect,” she said. “There are only four teams left so you have to get as close to excellence as possible, even if it doesn’t guarantee a win. But we believe we can get to our best version, both individually and collectively, in order to advance to the final. It will be a tough match, like any semi-final, but we have the utmost excitement and confidence to keep moving forward and make history once again.”

Germany will be without the suspended Hendrich and Carlotta Wamser as well as the injured Giulia Gwinn and Sarai Linder but Tomé, the Spain coach, said she expected a difficult game. “[The missing players] is not something we’re thinking about,” she said. “We know Germany are always strong; physically they’re very good, as we saw in the match against France. Tomorrow they will field their best team to play against us, just as we will.

“Excitement is the main driving force of this team. This is the tournament where we’re feeling most comfortable. I see a mature team, eager to compete tomorrow. I see a confident team, excited and looking forward to the match – I don’t see them nervous.”

Header image: [Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters]