- Germany fans want Kai Havertz to be axed for Die Mannschaft’s next game
- His first-choice replacement has scored two goals off the bench at Euro 2024
- LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. New episodes released every day during the Euros.
German football fans have overwhelmingly called for Kai Havertz to be kicked out of the starting line-up.
A poll of almost 140,000 fans found that 90 per cent wanted the Arsenal star to be dropped for Borussia Dortmund battering ram Niclas Fullkrug.
Havertz scored a penalty in Germany’s 5-1 demolition of Scotland but has since drawn two blanks.
He only managed one effort on target during the 1-1 draw with Switzerland despite having six attempts in all, with newspaper BILD giving him a match score of five… with six being the worst-possible rating.
Now, Bild’s poll of 138,00 supporters has shown widespread clamour for Havertz to lose his spot to Fullkrug, who scored a stoppage-time equaliser against the Swiss.
Ninety per cent of German fans have called for Kai Havertz to be dropped in a huge poll
The majority of almost 140,000 supporters want Havertz to be axed from the starting 11
There is clamour for Niclas Fullkrug, who has two goals from the bench, to take Havertz’s place
Fullkrug also scored in the opening game against Scotland and is a more traditional number nine than Havertz.
While Havertz did well as a false nine for Arsenal last season, the vast majority of his career has been spent in midfield.
Manager Julian Nagelsmann told Bild: ‘Fulle has a chance to start, but Kai has the same chances.
‘Kai had three good chances, and he was annoyed that he didn’t take two. He headed the ball onto his own shoulder. He still played a good game.
On Fullkrug, he said: ‘He provides arguments for both things. To continue to act as a substitute because he does it really well, he scores his second substitute goal. Or to play from the start. It is both a joy and a sorrow for him that he fulfils the role well.’
According to Bild, Fullkrug was close to starting the game against Switzerland.
Germany will contest their round of 16 match in Dortmund on Saturday and will play the runners-up from England’s group.
Manager Julian Nagelsmann has hinted that either Havertz or Fullkrug could start in the last 16
If England slip up against Slovenia tonight, they could well end up playing the Germans in the last 16.
England will finish second if they lose to Slovenia and Denmark fail to win, or if they draw with Slovenia and Denmark beat Serbia by two or more goals.
