DFB press conference in the live ticker: Wück talks about the personnel puzzle against Spain

4:20 p.m.: Knaak emphasizes how important the long recovery period after the Sweden match was to prepare tactically for France. Now, they have to get the most out of their performance by tomorrow to be ready for Spain. The press conference ends shortly afterward. Thank you for your interest!

4:17 p.m.: A reporter poked around again about the German lineup. Wück laughed briefly and asked for understanding that he didn't want to spill any secrets. "There will be personnel changes. The suspension hurts us. Linder's absence hurts, but we'll find solutions."

4:15 p.m.: The national coach now briefly discusses his match plan for the European Championship semifinals. "I know the Spanish team. They play the same short passing game. We'll have to suffer a lot. We have to wait for the right moments and play to our strengths in possession. We also want to be successful with the ball," said Wück.

4:13 p.m.: What did the match against France do to the German team? "The performance we showed forms the foundation for every match. Willingness to perform, determination, fight: This foundation was definitely formed by the France match," confirms Knaak.

4:10 p.m.: Wück, of course, doesn't want to publicly reveal how the German women's defense will play. The team only began preparing for the Spanish women's match today. In addition to the training sessions, the national coach plans to hold individual meetings with the players.

4:08 p.m.: Wück makes it clear that the German team hasn't reached its goal yet. The support from politicians also "honors us," the national coach said. The team "awakened many emotions in the people" with their captivating performance.

4:06 p.m.: First, defensive ace Knaak is asked about her condition after the grueling quarterfinal. The team was able to recover quickly and is back in top shape. A few sessions in the ice barrel helped, says Knaak.

4:05 p.m.: Here we go! The press conference begins with a slight delay.

3:30 p.m.: Welcome to the live ticker from FOCUS online. The DFB press conference with national coach Christian Wück and defender Rebecca Knaak begins at 4:00 p.m. ahead of the European Championship semifinal.

Against Spain, with world-class players Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, Sara Däbritz—110 caps and the last remaining player from the 2013 European Championship triumph—could also be needed. Following the red card suspension of Kathrin Hendrich and the injury to Sarai Linder against France, Wück not only has to rebuild the defense again.

The crucial central thinker and leader Sjoeke Nüsken is also missing after receiving her second yellow card, which hits the German national team hard. Captain Janina Minge, originally a classic midfielder, is needed in defense. Wück had recently dispensed with an attacking playmaker like Linda Dallmann.

The last European Championship clash against Spain ended in a 2-0 win in the 2022 preliminary round, thanks to goals from Bühl and Alexandra Popp. It wasn't until after this tournament that Putellas, Bonmatí, and Co. began their winning streak, culminating in the World Cup triumph in Australia. The fact that the German national team has never lost to Spain in eight matches (five wins, three draws) is therefore merely a statistical side note.

The title dream is more alive than ever for the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist. In the euphoria following their semifinal appearance, Nüsken had already announced: "We want to bring this thing home now. We're such an incredibly awesome team, and I believe we can do it." For Hoffmann, reaching the semifinals proved "that everything we said before wasn't just empty phrases."