Legendary German striker Juergen Klinsmann discusses the midweek CL drama and the German national team, which he feels must sort out the goal-scoring problem before Euro 2024.
In Germany, the fans called him the “flipper” following a popular television show of the same name featuring a trick-performing dolphin. During his time in England with Tottenham Hotspur, Juergen Klinsmann was often called the "diver" by his detractors. He, of course, entertained both with a broad smile and even celebrated his first goal for Tottenham with a diving celebration.
The quintessential German striker burst into the European scene three years before the fall of the Berlin Wall and played for West Germany and then Unified Germany, won the World Cup (1990) and the European Cup (1996) as captain and excelled in three major European leagues at the club level.
Not to miss out on the drama that unfolded in the Champions League, Klinsmann was at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples and watched the hosts' heart-breaking exit. “I felt really sorry and sort of grateful for Napoli because Napoli played a really, really good game and should have got a penalty before (Olivier) Giroud scored.”
Sharing his thoughts exclusively with TOI, Klinsmann was taken in by the drama that unfolded across Europe in the midweek quarterfinal clashes in the Champions League.
"You know, I was at the Napoli-AC Milan game and it was a real drama because Napoli played a fantastic game. There was a big discussion about the penalty not given in favour of Napoli. And last night (Wednesday), even though Inter Milan had a two-goal advantage, they struggled."
Bayern Munich's exit also left behind a sour taste. “Bayern faced a huge task going into the situation. They had enough chances and opportunities to turn it around. But then obviously (Erling) Haaland killed the game with his goal as he did many times when he played for Dortmund. He didn't allow Munich to create a big surprise.
“Now the burden of expectations is on Manchester City to win this trophy finally. Pep Guardiola is pretty well aware of that. They face none other than Real Madrid who have been unbelievable over the last 10 years.”
But Klinsmann's heart is in the Milan derby. "AC Milan facing Inter Milan in a semifinal of the Champions League. It cannot get any bigger. I had spent four of my best years with Inter and now this city is electrified for the next three weeks. There's only one topic in every coffee shop in Milan. Everybody will talk about this clash. And yeah, if you can get a ticket for one of these two games, then you're very lucky.”
Klinsmann played for Bayern in the mid-nineties and coached them from 2008-09. Bayern's recent troubles, mostly their goal-scoring ability or the lack of it, have left him wondering. “Bayern seem to be struggling in the Bundesliga this season because we in Germany always think Bayern will run away with the league after three or four months and win the title easily. And this year, it's not the case. There is still an opportunity for Dortmund to catch them and it's six games to go. So there will be a lot of drama in the Bundesliga in the next couple of weeks, which is exciting, you know, for every neutral fan.
“I think Bayern had a brilliant Champions League campaign until now. Julian Nagelsmann did an outstanding job. And then the club came to a decision after they lost in the German Cup and they didn't run away in the Bundesliga. The manager was changed and Thomas Tuchel took charge. It's always a bit more dramatic there than in any other club in Germany. And now everybody's curious. Now everybody is wondering, you know, where is this leading to? How can they finish the season? But when you lose against Manchester City in a quarterfinal, I mean, from my neutral point of view, it's understandable.”
Bayern's European exit is perhaps a continuation of the bigger shadow that German football is currently under. Two dismal shows in Russia and Qatar World Cups have caused a lot of heartburn and Klinsmann tried to find a reason for Germany's woes that revolve around the absence of a No. 9, the classic centre-forward role that he had so exceptionally fulfilled.
"It's a very good point you have raised. Since Miroslav Klose stopped playing, we have had a huge void in the centre-forward position. We are struggling to find No 9s. I mean Niclas Fuellkrug is doing a good job filling in right now. But we don't have an exceptional No. 9 at the international level at the moment.
"It had also a little bit to do with the fact that a lot of countries and clubs around the world followed the Spanish model of playing with "false nine" over the years. We have maybe 12 very good attacking players in Germany who can play in multiple positions but none of them are true centre-forwards. And that was the reason we struggled in Qatar. And that's one of the reasons why Germany lost in the group stage.
“So hopefully, we can fix that before the 2024 European Championship that we are going to host, and prove a point. And hopefully we play a successful European championship, because football fans in Germany right now are very disappointed with the national team losing early in Russia and losing early in Qatar."
