Our Get German Football News piece assessing the work of the Germany U21 squad from the November international break differs slightly from the “winners” pieces we released in September and October. We will still provide reporting on the two qualifying fixtures, the tactics of head coach Antonio Di Salvo, and the significance of performances put in by several young German footballers. In this particular case, however, the work of two players with roots in a particular Bavarian town merits extra attention. Bayern Munich “Aschaffenburg Twins” Tom Bischof and Lennart Karl get expanded sections here.
The German senior team’s official qualification for the 2026 summer World Cup during the current international break leaves Germans, most uncharacteristically, excited about the prospect of watching their national team in action again. This constitutes rather significant news as it has been nearly a decade since Germans held such enthusiasm for the Nationalelf. Not since the lead up to the 2016 Euros in France – which was itself dampened by tragic events – has there been as big of a “Bundesrepublik Buzz” surrounding the DFB XI.
The fact that there’s an exciting new cohort of young prospects coming up plays a huge role in this. Obviously, it’s not the only factor. A quick flit through the post 2016 timeline can chronicle how the German footballing consciousness consistently failed to stir. The 2018 World Cup in Russia (boycotted by many Germans for political reasons), the 2021 Euros (hampered by COVID and Jogi Löw’s grim presence), the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (boycotted by even more Germans for political reasons), and the sad “anti-Sommermärchen” hosted 2024 Euros made for a grim eight years.
At long last, a new generation of talents with no connection to this past might help us move on. Interestingly enough, the German U21s – just like their senior team counterparts – won both of their November qualification matches by a combined 8-0 scoreline. The U21s beat Malta Friday night in Fürth 6-0 shortly before Julian Nagelsmann’s team took out Luxembourg 2-0. One day after Nagelsmann’s XI blanked Slovakia 6-0 in Leipzig, Di Salvo’s lads prevailed 2-0 over the Georgian U21s in Tbilisi.
We’ll begin with our “twins”.
We’ve then four more players and a town to cover.
After that, it’s on to the tactical review and thoughts on the future.
Bischof’s early issues in his first U21 cap are now ancient history. Words honestly can’t do the 20-year-old’s magnificent hat trick on Friday night justice. Even the manner in which the Aschaffenburg-native dealt with his amazing match at a DFB presser a couple of days later was exemplary. All three of Bischof’s goals against Malta came from distance! One might as well exclusively devote a whole paragraph to Bischof’s three tallies in Fürth.
Bischof banged home the 1-0 from about 20 meters out after fearlessly maneuvering himself into shooting position off a short corner. The 3-0 also came via a beautiful curling effort into the right corner of the net from approximately 20 meters out. Bischof curled his third goal, into the left-hand corner this time, from a slightly shorter distance. Impressive nonetheless.
When one reflects on Bischof’s development, he initially garnered the reputation as a defensive workhorse. His carefully staggered (yet steady) deployments at Hoffenheim over the course of three seasons between 2021 and 2024 kept him on the radar on most Bundesliga reporters. We never really considered him a genuine box-to-box threat, however, until early last season.
Once the scoring-prowess portion of his game emerged, it came as no surprise to see Bayern begin courting him. Bischof begins to refine his game into something that resembles that of vintage German attacking midfielders like Mehmet Scholl, Bernd Schneider, and (with the distance precision) Torsten Frings. How far the young man has come!
Bischof tried to get a bit too cutesy in some of his forward lobs and shots in the second match. His creative, yet imprecise, work on the ball nevertheless didn’t trouble observers too much. His tactical assignment on the evening (observed below) was definitely more forward driven. A shame that he couldn’t reward himself with a mark on the scoresheet against Georgia. There were some interesting ideas.
A higher axis role for Bischof hasn’t always worked out well for him. Ill-fated Hoffenheim trainer André Breitenreiter once tested him out as a No. 8 and even a No. 10. Bischof seems to excel more when stationed in the third row and coming forward when improvisation strikes. A higher deployment occasionally leaves him trying to do too much.
The non-Aschaffenburg native (who did two tours of duty through the Viktoria Aschaffenburg academy) continues to utilize his “healthy arrogance” to his benefit. In truth, the whole notion of Karl being an “arrogant” young footballer constitutes an exaggeration. It’s far too easy for journalists to pounce on his quotes in oder to grab a sensational headline.
If one observers the 17-year-old’s mannerisms when he’s making such statements, he looks to be a normal enough teenager; or at least as normal as can be expected for a FCB phenom headed for global stardom. In any event, all three of Karl’s goals in the two matches were of the highest quality. How can the lad not come across as arrogant when he produces like this?
Karl notched the 2-0 against Malta after coming close with several previous chances. Five minutes before scoring his inaugural U21 goal, he launched a powerful shot into the side netting. An exquisite first touch preceded his first goal in the first match. Karl’s 5-0 in the 67th minute left one scraping one’s jaw off the floor. The teenager literally dusted off three markers en route to securing his brace.
Karl’s third goal of the break (discussed below as well) came off a pre-planned set-piece variant. He came agonizingly close to bagging a second consecutive brace with two more scorching efforts in the second match that forced sprawl saves out of the Geogrian keeper. Clearly fatigued, his late play in the second match wasn’t very sharp. Naturally, what he accomplished here was in no way diminished.
Karl continues to prove a joy to watch as his slight build and totally lanky physique render him barely recognizable as a footballer. The youngster who – at first glance – one expects to be carrying the water bottles over to the bench is now carrying the U21 team with more deceptively slick touches and skirt runs. Few are “laughing” at his World Cup prospects now.
The Berlin-native who once played himself into the limelight during St. Pauli’s 2023/24 2. Bundesliga promotion campaign played in an unfamiliar position (attacking slant left) and quietly secured two assists. The 21-year-old isn’t known to all that many outside German footballing circles, but the first U21 international to don the captain’s armband after Eric Martel’s retirement remains a sturdy and robust midfield ass-buster.
Injuries hindered Kemlein from being more regularly involved in the September and October breaks. Additionally, his club year has featured few highlights. Perhaps that might be about to change now that he exits the break with some momentum and prepares for a big Bundesliga match against his old club St. Pauli this weekend. Kemlein’s FCU teammate Ilyas Ansah also turned in a strong break.
Whilst still fighting for minutes and relevance at his Sinsheim-based club, Damar again impressed for Germany at the highest youth level. Another goal under Di Salvo makes it three tallies in six U21 caps. Gifted a mention in both September and October, Damar has now earned a slot in all three of our U21 featureless. A pity he plays on the same Bundesliga club as Andrej Kramaric. Otherwise, we’d be talking more about him.
Germans and non-Germans alike tire of the hype surrounding the 20-year-old as he’s been slumping for club regularly. The author still loves him and thinks he looked especially strong opposite Kemlein on the second attacking axis during the break. EVERYONE slumps for Augsburg at the moment. Kömür doesn’t deserve the skepticism that should be directed at Sandro Wagner.
Not much to add here beyond the obvious. The 19-year-old responded to his mid-break switch between levels perfectly well. The young “Krefeld Dribbling Artist” gives us much to look forward to over the next few years. El Mala joins Bischof and Karl as one of the prominent professionals helping Germans get back on board with our national team again.
He’d be up there with the “twins” were it not for….
How in the hell did this little Bavarian burgh become such a footballing hotbed? Most Germans don’t even know quite how to classify the town itself. It’s technically Bavarian Franconian, but also sits on the Hessen border. Proximity wise, it must be the case that there’s some Palatinate influence as well. Romans occupied it. American GIs occupied it. Now, we can assuredly say that the future of German football occupied it.
It remains important to note that Karl and Bischof probably never really crossed paths here. Bischof was born in Aschaffenburg, but moved south to Amorbach shortly thereafter. By the time he was ten (in 2015), Bischof was already in Sinsheim. In was in that year that Karl (originally from Frammersbach) joined the Viktoria Aschaffenburg academy.
It’s all just a crazy coincidence. Though the two players are only separated by three years and not a lot of geography, it’s highly doubtful that they ever even met before this summer. Perhaps they took note of the crazy coincidence as well. Perhaps they still haven’t had time to get acquainted. Who knows? Based on the fact that they sport the exact same facial hairdo set-up, one assumes they know each other.
In any case, many thanks to the “twins” for giving Germans something to get excited about when it comes to the future of the national team. One owes Antonio Di Salvo quite the debt of gratitude for serving as the steward of our future for over four years now. We’ll now take a look at what Di Salvo is up to below.
In both matches, Di Salvo’s tactical intent wasn’t very easy to discern. One can most assuredly say that the U21 Bundestrainer wished to give his charges plenty of leeway and creative license. The author’s best guess as to what Di Salvo sought to put forth during the Friday night win in Fürth is a 4-1-4-1. The fact that Bischof nevertheless clung so tightly to the back-line nevertheless leaves the constellation open to plenty of interpretation. Di Salvo’s general idea might well have been a 5-2-3 or a 5-4-1.
Lineup—DFB (Friday)
From a fluidity standpoint, results were a bit mixed. It took a short-corner set-piece variation to enable Bischof to net the 9th-minute 1-0. The link-up play certainly suffered with Bischof working so far back. Karl and Ansah achieved their fair share of penalty box incursions, but often found themselves one step behind the Maltese defensive line thanks to the slower forward passing.
The back four defensive re-shuffling – clearly aimed to shield the shaky confidence of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nnamdi Collins – wasn’t something the author was terribly fond of. Watching Stuttgart’s Finn Jeltsch struggle to function as a left back produced traumatic memories of watching former Stuttgart man Waldemar Anton laboriously fail with the same assignment under Bruno Labbadia in 2023.
This near total rotation from Di Salvo’s previous XI didn’t always produce the cleanest and crispest football, but did dominate and dictate the pace of the match throughout against the under-classed opponent. The floodgates really opened after the restart. Well before Bischof and Karl scored three goals within a four-minute-span between the 63rd and 67th minute, the forward line generated more than enough chances to put the game to bed.
Straightforward like-for-like swaps in the 66th minute saw Muhammed Damar (for Kemlein), Dzenan Pejcinovic (for Ansah), Nelson Weiper (for Tresoldi), and Anton Kade (for Jeltsch) introduced. Arijon Ibrahimovic would later relieve Kömür in the 78th; a change that then led to Damar switching over to the right. Matters were looser at both ends as the match drew to a close.
Damar ended up netting the 6-0 courtesy of a nice combo with Weiper on the left in the 86th. Damar nearly returned the favor for Weiper, but the FSV Mainz 05 striker found himself denied by the crossbar at 90+4. Some sloppy defending at the DFB end in the final minutes nearly threatened Mio Backhaus’ clean sheet. In the end, the Werder Bremen No. 1 got a chance to truly earn his “Weiße Veste”.
In the second fixture, Di Salvo definitely put together a 4-3-3.
Lineup—DFB (Tuesday)
Two personnel changes ahead of the Tuesday match in Tbilsi took place on the left. Germany U21 returnee Said El Mala replaced Ansah whilst Wolfsburg’s Aaron Zehnter got the nod over Lukas Ullrich. In a markedly more difficult test, the DFB Juniors had to fight and scrap more for chances. As the half-hour mark approached, Di Salvo’s crew began to more consistently break down the deep Georgian block. Kömür, Kemlein, and Tresoldi (very unlucky on numerous occasions during this break) all had chances to open the scoring before El Mala and Karl finally did near the end of the opening 45.
Karl scored the 1-0 at 45+2 off a pre-planned corner variation. Tresoldi added the 2-0 in the 58th. Following that it proved painful to watch Bischof and Karl squander numerous chances to get their names back on the scoresheet. At least it appeared as if the “Aschaffenburg Twins” were genuinely enjoying their football and having loads of fun. It didn’t appear as if they cared too much at all about whether the ball went in. Ansah and Damar (again strong off the bench) appeared a tad more frustrated when they missed attempts to extend the lead. Weiper also hit the post twice.
As international football for the 2025 calendar year draws to a close, it’s tempting to try and find another bold prediction about which one of these talents will most definitely make the leap to German senior level. One problem is, of course, the fact that the purportedly “bold” Said El Mala augury from October wasn’t exactly a huge stroke of brilliance. Most Germans, including this one, had been touting El Mala for the national team since late August and early September. We just knew. It was too damned obvious.
When it comes to the case of Karl and Bischof, so much can happen between now and the next international break in March. Either one of them can get injured, as can their senior team counterparts. Bischof certainly has it significantly harder given the logjam in the German midfield for both his club and country. Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leon Goretzka appear to be the properly balanced midfield pairing. Should either one of them get injured or dip, captain Joshua Kimmich is there waiting (and salivating) at his chance to move back into midfield from his lesser preferred right back role.
After Goretzka, Pavlovic, and Kimmich, we have Nadiem Amiri, Felix Nmecha, the unforgotten Angelo Stiller, and now the burgeoning Assan Ouédraogo waiting to get into midfield. Yikes! Bischof’s best hopes of making it into Nagelsmann’s selection are closely linked to his new club experimental role at left back. Germany desperately need help at this position. Leipzig’s David Raum – as decent a job as he’s been doing as of late – can always succumb. There isn’t a back-up option. Few of us expect Stuttgart’s Maximilian Mittelstädt to re-vamp his level back up.
In Karl’s case, the competition on the wings isn’t necessarily insurmountable. Even if Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Karim Adeyemi, Said El Mala, Florian Wirtz, and Jamal Musiala all make it, there could be room a flexible attacker like Karl on the World Cup roster; particularly given that the 17-year-old can feature as a ten as well. Perhaps FCB trainer Vincent Kompany can successfully test out Karl as either a fullback or wingback too, further enhancing his senior team prospects.
Germany’s need for help at the No. 9 slot regrettably doesn’t appear to translate to a senior team call up for any of Di Salvo’s strikers. Injured forwards such as Niclas Füllkrug, Kai Havertz, and Tim Kleindienst will stake their claim for relevance once fit again. Nagelsmann is also dying to move Woltemade back to the No 10. slot. He doesn’t even need the fittest and most effective striker to work up front; merely an older one with sufficient experience.
As much talent as there is here, the decidedly “safe” prediction is only that Bischof and Karl will make it under the decidedly “right” set of circumstances. One still gets excited at the mere prospect of seeing either one of the “Aschaffenburg Twins” coming on late off the bench on the world’s grandest stage. The author himself shivers at the wonderful memory of watching a 17-year-old Lionel Messi earning some late minutes in the 2006 German-hosted World Cup.
“Sommermärchen-Fieber” is back!
For some reason, it came out of Aschaffenburg.
Okay.
All good.
