Jürgen Klopp delighted with Germany performance versus Serbia: "This must be the baseline"
Jürgen Klopp said that Germany's performance in their 2-0 victory over Serbia - his first in charge of the national team - in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday "must be the baseline".
Klopp's reign started with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, before his side were surprisingly beaten 1-0 at home against Greece in the new head coach's second outing. However, he finally got off the mark thanks to a comfortable victory over the Balkan nation, with this also the first game for the second of his two squads selected for this international break.
"This performance must now be the baseline. This will go into my archives, so we can show the lads how it can be done," he said after full-time. "I told the lads before the match that I've never seen a bad game when the counter-pressing is on fire – and it was today. I'm satisfied with everything: the start, the middle, and the finish. We had a very good opening phase and could have scored more goals from the ball recoveries."
"It's about having the courage, like with the opening goal, and occupying the penalty area accordingly," he continued. "We can afford to take any risks and have any freedom if we win the ball back together. The back line defended superbly going forward. We were outstanding off the ball, and we played wonderful football with it."
While there were several impressive displays, Tom Bischof was one of those who stood out. The Bayern Munich midfielder broke the deadlock shortly before half-time with his first senior international goal and was a constant threat, showing he has the ability to play a key role in the national side for years to come.
Speaking to the media after the game, Bischof said, "The stadium was on fire today. It was simply a lot of fun, especially with the support we felt."
"We were on the attack from the first minute, created many chances, and could have scored one or two more goals. Overall, I think we played a very good game. Scoring in front of the South Stand is also an incredible feeling. I hope it continues like this."
Midfielder Florian Wirtz, too, flourished in Klopp's system, scoring Germany's second goal as the team's main creative hub. "It was incredibly fun, and I think every single one of us really gave it our all on the pitch today. We stuck to the game plan and did almost everything right. We had a lot of movement in midfield and combined very well," he explained.
"Everyone was really up for playing football today, and that allows you to shine even more. Being on the field as captain in the second half makes me proud. But I still tried to keep pushing and make sure we brought the game home".
Now off the mark, Klopp will hope his team rounds off this international break with a second consecutive victory when they travel to Thessaloniki to face Greece on Sunday (kick-off: 8.45pm CEST). Based on this showing, there is plenty to positive about for Germany fans as this first chapter of Klopp's tenure draws to a close.
