Bundesliga
Blaswich & Ducksch called up for Germany
With no Manuel Neuer just yet, RB Leipzig goalkeeper Janis Blaswich has been called up for Germany for the first time alongside Werder Bremen striker Marvin Ducksch for November’s friendlies with Türkiye and Austria.
Blaswich, 32, and Ducksch, 29, are the two new faces in Julian Nagelsmann’s 27-man squad for the two matches in Berlin and Vienna.
It has been a long journey for Blaswich, who only made his Bundesliga debut in 2022/23 after injury to Péter Gulácsi and has retained the No.1 spot at Leipzig ever since, keeping a division-leading five clean sheets from 10 games this season in the Bundesliga. He has never represented Germany at any level.
Watch: The best of Janis Blaswich
His inclusion comes after Neuer confirmed during the week that, having spoken with Nagelsmann, he would not be involved in these games due to “medical reasons” just after his return from 10 months out with a broken leg.
Ducksch last pulled on a Germany shirt at U18 level in 2012 but has enjoyed an excellent few years with 16 goals and 11 assists in 44 Bundesliga games since helping Bremen to promotion in 2022 on the back of 30 goal contributions in 29 Bundesliga 2 outings. He follows in the path of ex-Werder teammate Niclas Füllkrug, now of Borussia Dortmund, by breaking into the national team.
Watch: All Ducksch's goals and assists in 2023/24
Füllkrug’s record for Germany is a superb nine goals from 11 caps. The former partners-in-crime, once self-mockingly nicknamed ‘The Ugly Ducklings’ are the two out-and-out strikers called up by Nagelsmann, although Thomas Müller, Serge Gnabry and Kai Havertz have all filled the role.
There is no Jamal Musiala after he suffered a recent hamstring injury, while Chris Führich and Robert Andrich are still involved following their maiden call-ups for October’s friendlies in the USA against the USMNT and Mexico.
The game against Türkiye at Berlin’s Olympiastadion is on Saturday, 18 November (8:45pm CET), while the match against neighbours Austria is being played at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion on Tuesday, 21 November (8:45pm).
Germany squad in full
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Janis Blaswich (RB Leipzig), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Defenders: Robin Gosens (Union Berlin), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Niklas Süle (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Malick Thiaw (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Chris Führich (VfB Stuttgart), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Groß (Brighton and Hove Albion), İlkay Gündoğan (Barcelona), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Jonas Hofmann (Bayer Leverkusen), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Marvin Ducksch (Werder Bremen), Niclas Füllkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich)