Germany opts against risking Musiala for Nations League deciders

By Canadian Press on May 22, 2025.

BERLIN (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has decided against including Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala in his squad for the Nations League semifinal against Portugal and potential final against Spain or France.

Musiala, who hasn’t played since early April when he tore a thigh muscle, is among prominent absentees including Real Madrid center back Antonio Rüdiger, Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck and Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Tim Kleindienst.

Musiala has been working his way back to fitness but Bayern will be at the Club World Cup next month and Nagelsmann evidently didn’t want to risk the player. Musiala returned to training at Bayern on May 7.

The coach on Thursday called up Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade and former Hoffenheim midfielder Tom Bischof for the first time. Bischof is joining Bayern next season and Woltemade will hope to help Stuttgart to the German Cup title with a win over Arminia Bielefeld in Saturday’s final.

Joshua Kimmich will captain Germany in his 100th appearance.

Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, Dortmund players Waldemar Anton and Felix Nmecha, Bayern players Aleksandar Pavlović and Serge Gnabry, West Ham forward Niclas Füllkrug and Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen are back in the squad.

Germany plays Portugal in Munich on June 4, with the final or third-place playoff in Munich or Stuttgart four days later.

___

Germany:

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart), Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona)

Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Yann-Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstädt (Stuttgart), David Raum (Leipzig), Jonathan Tah (no club)

Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Robin Gosens (Fiorentina), Pascal Groß (Borussia Dortmund), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlović (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards: Niclas Füllkrug (West Ham), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Stuttgart)

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Associated Press