Germany - Netherlands live ticker: DFB women play for group victory

Germany: Berger - Gwinn, Minge, Knaak, Linder - Senß, Nüsken - Brand, Dallmann, Bühl - Schüller

Netherlands: Kop - Casparij, Janssen, Buurman, Brugts - Groenen, Egurrola, Kaptein - Grant, Leuchter, Roord

8:26 p.m.: A fantastic atmosphere in the sold-out Bremen stadium! It's the German women's team's last home game before the upcoming European Championship. Nearly 31,000 spectators are in attendance today. The ball is about to roll.

7:18 p.m.: The German women's team lineup is here! Coach Wück makes a total of five changes following the 6-1 win against Scotland. Knaak and Linder replace Kett and Kleinherne in defense. Nüsken, Bühl, and Dallmann also start against the Netherlands. Lohmann, Cerci, and Freigang initially sit on the bench.

3:00 p.m.: Welcome to the live ticker from FOCUS online. Complaints about national coach Christian Wück, a tricky casting call one month before the European Championship, and then the pressure of the Nations League on top of that. The German women's soccer team , often praised as a haven for well-being, is in a state of high tension ahead of its match against the Netherlands on Friday (8:30 p.m./ZDF) in Bremen.

"Communication is and remains a very important issue. And if there are any irritations, and there were, then they have to be clarified," said Wück at the final press conference.

In Bremen, there was a discussion between the coaching staff and players after Felicitas Rauch of the US club North Carolina Courage and Nicole Anyomi (Eintracht Frankfurt), who were recently left out of the squad, and who is absent this time due to knee problems, rebelled. Misunderstandings were cleared up in discussions with the duo, according to Wück.

"Not only that: Of course, we also actively addressed the issue again with the team, first and foremost with the team council. I explained how I handle communication during nominations and between training sessions," added the DFB head coach. "It was a good exchange, a lively exchange. So, internally, the matter has long since been resolved for us. Apparently, it hasn't been resolved publicly yet."

Wück not only has to manage the controversial Lena Oberdorf personnel issue these days, but has also expanded the squad to 25 players. However, only 23 are allowed to attend the European Championships: "We wanted to give ourselves another opportunity to see the players in training and also check their performance," said the 51-year-old.

In addition to the inconsistent performances of the 2024 Olympic bronze medalists, Wück and his assistants Maren Meinert and Saskia Bartusiak are also concerned with criticism of the national coach's communication.

The topic has been "a bit of an elephant in the room in recent days," at least publicly, said offensive player Laura Freigang. "What's definitely important is that we've addressed it internally as well, that this is something that will be addressed and not simply left alone."

Longtime national team player Rauch had complained about Wück's non-nomination and how he handled it. "Not inviting me is one thing. Not informing me and not even giving me a reason is something I simply don't understand. I wish for much more transparent communication here," the former Wolfsburg player wrote on Instagram.