Frustration for Germany U21 – “We were afraid”

Germany’s U21’s suffered their first defeat in European Championship qualifying since 2021 after a dramatic 3-2 loss against Greece that left the players visibly frustrated – especially captain Tom Bischof, who reflected honestly on the team’s mentality.

It was a night of mixed emotions for Antonio Di Salvo’s side. After a poor start, Germany mounted a spirited fightback, only to concede a late goal that sealed their first qualifying defeat in four years.

Speaking after the match against Greece, Bayern Munich midfielder and U21 captain Tom Bischof admitted that nerves played a role in the setback.

“Maybe it’s not the worst thing to have a bit of pressure on us, he said. ”But we were afraid – that’s the truth. We didn’t play freely and made mistakes we don’t usually make.”

Bischof, who wore the armband on a disappointing evening, stressed the importance of learning from the loss as Germany look to bounce back in their next qualifiers.

“It hurts, of course. But maybe this is a good reminder that we have to stay focused and keep pushing. We’ll come back stronger,” he added.

The defeat ends an unbeaten qualifying run stretching back to 2021, leaving Germany U21 facing renewed pressure as they aim to secure their spot at the 2027 European Championship.