Five Germany winners and losers under Jurgen Klopp after mixed international break

Jurgen Klopp’s first international window as Germany head coach has drawn to a close, sparking a mixed reaction to how his team performed across an unconventional four-fixture UEFA Nations League stretch.

Klopp kick-started his reign with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, before suffering a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Greece on matchday two at the end of September.

However, Germany celebrated the first win of the Klopp era when they beat Serbia 2-0 in Munich, before being held to a goalless stalemate in the reverse fixture with Greece on Sunday.

With five points from four matches, Germany sit third in League A Group 2 behind the Netherlands and Greece, who lead the way on eight points each. Die Mannschaft now have only two games remaining in November to climb back into the top two and secure their place in the quarter-finals.

Klopp made the bold decision to select a mega 44-man squad that he split into two separate groups for the two-week break. Despite the mixed results on the pitch, the manager firmly believes the exercise was a resounding success.

"We have seen a lot of national team players in these two weeks," Klopp declared. "Everyone proved themselves, everyone earned their right to be here.

“Think of all the things people said about us – what we can do, what we can't do. We showed signs that we can do a few things better than people gave us credit for. The hard drive will not be empty next time. The door is open to everyone. Wide open.”

That wide-open door will narrow significantly in November when Klopp selects a trimmed, traditional 23 or 24-man roster. Those who excelled have put themselves in pole position to retain their places, while those who failed to deliver face the prospect of being cut entirely from the senior side.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the main winners and losers from Klopp’s first international break as Germany head coach.

GERMANY WINNERS:

Philipp Treu (Freiburg)

The 25-year-old right-back was the ultimate standout for Germany. Originally an uncapped prospect selected for just the first split squad, Klopp was so impressed that he kept him on. Treu ended up being the only player out of the 44-man pool to start three matches, earning high praise from Klopp for his attacking boldness across three full 90-minute performances.

Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)

Wirtz may be struggling for consistency at Liverpool, but he delivered on international duty and rediscovered his confidence under Klopp, starring with a goal and an assist in Germany’s win over Serbia. Even in the toothless 0-0 draw with Greece, the playmaker’s made a notable impression as captain while other attackers faltered.

Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich)

Less than a week after captaining the Under-21s, Bischof scored on his full debut for the senior Germany side in the win over Serbia before fulfilling his high-energy role in midfield perfectly against Greece and orchestrating the goal that was eventually ruled offside. The 21-year-old earned high praise from Klopp for his double-pivot partnership with the next man on this list…

Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich)

Pavlovic was indeed another Bayern midfield ace who thrived under Klopp’s high-energy vision. Against Serbia, he showcased vertical progressive passing that perfectly matches the high-tempo style Klopp wants to implement long-term. The 22-year-old then took up a metronomic role against Greece, dictating the tempo and recording an 89.2% pass accuracy while shielding the back four.

Derry Scherhant (Freiburg)

Called up for the first time by Klopp, Scherhant injected much-needed energy into an otherwise faltering attack during the 0-0 draw with Greece while he also started in the win against Serbia. In an international window where many new attackers failed to make a mark, the 23-year-old’s fearless displays made him one of the few bright spots.

GERMANY LOSERS:

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

Germany’s captain was moved back into midfield having previously played at right-back under Julian Nagelsmann. However, he struggled to dictate the pace or establish his usual authority in a high-tempo, dynamic tactical structure against the Netherlands and Greece, leaving his guaranteed starter status under scrutiny.

Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich)

Brought back into the senior fold as one of Germany’s highly-rated prospects for the future, the 18-year-old winger was unable to truly adapt to the international tempo and struggled to make the desired impact in his sole appearance against Greece, in which he was substituted early. Karl previously watched on as an unused substitute for the win over Serbia.

Jonathan Burkardt (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Given the nod to start up front in the final game against Greece, the 26-year-old forward endured a frustrating night. He had a goal cruelly ruled out by VAR for a handball earlier in the build-up and struggled to find vertical fluidity before being hooked off after just 63 minutes. Across 101 minutes of action in three games over the international break, Burkardt registered only one shot on goal and zero touches inside the opposition’s box.

Nadiem Amiri (Mainz 05)

Following the withdrawal of injured Jamal Musiala, Amiri stepped in to start versus the Netherlands, but the midfielder ultimately failed to seize his moment. He failed to create a single chance across 80 minutes and was then left out of the first XI for matchday two. After struggling to offer any impact or dynamic progression, the 29-year-old could be a primary candidate to be left out of the next camp.

Felix Keidel (SV Elversberg)

There was plenty of excitement over Keidel's first Germany call-up to the second squad, but Klopp omitted him entirely from the 23-man matchday squad against Serbia before he watched on as an unused substitute for the draw with Greece. The uncapped midfielder, who can also play at right-back, is clearly lower down in the pecking order and is a prime target to be cut from Klopp’s squad in November, unless he excels at club level.