Mertesacker: Bevy of German talent a ´luxury´

Germany centre-back Per Mertesacker said their bevy of talented players to pick in the FIFA World Cup is ‘more luxury than a problem’.

It is not uncommon for nations to be torn apart at World Cups by ego, when players are left out of squads, and Joachim Low’s men certainly are filled to their 23-man brim with world-class talent.

Arsenal defender Mertesacker said he felt who Low selects for their Group G opener against Portugal on Monday would not necessarily set the tone for their Brazil campaign, and said whoever misses out will still have ‘an important role’.

“To choose the best and also to decide position questions, is more luxury than a problem,” Mertesacker told DFB.de.

“It is clear that we need the whole squad under these conditions, if we want to succeed.

“I do not think that is certain that the decision for the starting team in the first game will define the other games.

“All players will have an important role. And knowing this is important – for the entire team.”

Germany underwent match simulation on Wednesday, and Mertesacker said it was the ideal tune-up for their blockbuster with the Portuguese.

“We have focused from the first day that we get a feel for what an effort in the game actually expect,” he said.

“The simulation was useful and good, high intensity, it was certainly a little taste (of what to expect).

“Although I do not think that can actually be represented in the training loads of games one on one.

“In the game we have to adjust to situations in which we will suffer even more than is possible in training.”