Soccer-Germany prepared for Poland and Pajor as their Euro 2025 bid begins
ST GALLEN, Switzerland (Reuters) -Germany will look to carry their excellent Nations League form into the Women's European Championship and, while not taking their opening game against Poland lightly, manager Christian Wuck believes his side know exactly how to get the win.
The Germans are the most successful country in the tournament -- eight-time winners, and runners-up in the last edition -- and they kick off their Euro bid against a Poland team taking part in their first major tournament.
Poland do have an ace up their sleeve but one the Germans are very familiar with. Striker Ewa Pajor spent nine seasons at VfL Wolfsburg, before joining Barcelona last season, where she scored 43 goals in 45 games.
"From the very beginning, I've said that everyone who has qualified here has the opportunity to get through the group stage," Wuck told reporters ahead of Friday's clash.
"And the Polish players, just like us, have a high level of individual quality. Ewa Pajor certainly stands out but there are also others that we have discussed internally.
"We know that we have to push ourselves to the limit, just like in any other game, in order to be successful."
Germany were very impressive in this year's Nations League, topping their group unbeaten and netting 26 goals, with five wins from six including a 4-0 victory over the Netherlands.
"I believe that if we play like we did in the Nations League, with a focus on scoring goals, but also with an emphasis on the goals conceded ratio, we are well equipped to prevent a quick goal against us and to leave the field as winners," Wuck said.
Now, the focus is on Poland, and the manager has his squad completely prepared for the task ahead.
"We point out what the strengths are but also the weaknesses of the opposing system," Wuck said.
"We show them where spaces are created that we want to exploit, how we want to act against the individual quality.
"And I believe that the spaces that the Polish team will give us in their system are desirable for us because that is where our strengths lie."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
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