Already Training Again, Germany Can Rely On Rudiger When Challenged By Denmark

JAKARTA - The German national team may be able to return to relying on Antonio Rudiger in the Euro last 16 match against Denmark, Saturday 29 June or Sunday morning WIB. R\"udiger has already trained on Friday, June 28, giving him hope for his fitness, although there is no guarantee that he will play yet.

On Friday morning, when German players came to the training ground at Herzogenaurach at around 11.00 local time, Antonio R\"udiger was among them. This gives hope that the centre-back can appear in the Euro last 16 match against Denmark on Saturday (18 p.m. local time) at Dortmund.

The 31-year-old from Real Madrid suffered a thigh muscle injury in the match against Switzerland which ended 1-1 in Frankfurt. Since the injury he has not trained with the team. In the last training session, R\"udiger did a weight test, and the results still have to be awaited. In the first 15 minutes of the drills allowed to watch by reporters, R\"udiger seemed to finish the training without problems and seemed to enjoy.

If Rudiger is not fit to start Denmark, head coach Julian Nagelsmann will have to overhaul his entire defense. In three Euro games, Rudiger has always duetted with Jonathan Tah at the defense center of four players. However, Tah was suspended after receiving a second yellow card against Switzerland and was unable to play on Saturday. Nico Schlotterbeck is expected to replace Tah, after having had the opportunity to play as a substitute in Frankfurt from the 60th minute.

Namun, siapa yang akan mengganti R\"udiger jika diperlukan? Banyak yang mendukung Waldemar Anton untuk mengisi posisi tersebut, menciptakan pasangan bekat tengah yang mungkin lebih sering di Dortmund musim depan. Anton, yang sebelumnya menjadi kapten VfB Stuttgart, telah memutuskan untuk pindah ke Borussia Dortmund, klub yang telah diperkuat Schlotterbeck sejak 2022.

Nagelsmann still has other options such as Robin Koch, who hasn't appeared at the Euros like Anton - the only player besides Benjamin Henrichs who hasn't played yet. Also there is Emre Can, who usually plays defensive midfielder but has played central defenders several times for the national team and Dortmund.

The German national team will depart from Herzogenaurach to Dortmund at 15.30 p.m., this time not by bus, but by plane from N\urnberg. Nagelsmann's final press conference is scheduled for 19.00 p.m., which will also be attended by Robert Andrich. Up-date on the condition of R\"udiger will be given at that time.