Liverpool star Florian Wirtz has struggled at the start of life in the Premier League but there has been criticism for Germany
Florian Wirtz.
Florian Wirtz featured for Germany as they moved one step closer to securing World Cup qualification.
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Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz has described Germany's 2-0 win over Luxembourg as an 'important win' as they move a step closer to World Cup qualification. However, Julian Nagelsmann's side have been criticised in the national media after toiling against the minnows, ranked 97th in the FIFA world rankings.
Die Mannschaft take on Slovakia on Monday, knowing a draw will automatically secure their place in next summer's tournament. Wirtz didn't notch a goal or an assist against Luxembourg, but he and his teammates came under a scathing review from the press in Germany after needing two second-half goals from Newcastle's Nick Woltemade to maintain their place at the top.
While the Liverpool summer signing has been scrutinised in England, he has been defended by Nagelsmann. However, the German boss still faces pressure after they have failed to pull up trees in their qualifying group, which will go down to the final match against Slovakia, who can leapfrog Germany into top spot with a win on Monday.
Despite getting some support in Germany for his Liverpool displays, the national media had some brutal words for Wirtz after their laborious win on Friday.
The Reds star, however, still appeared upbeat after the match, posting on Instagram: "Important win [top emoji]. Enjoy the weekend, see you on Monday."
The 22-year-old played off the left in a 4-2-3-1 for the entire 90 minutes, creating one chance and having two shots on target.
However, the German starlet couldn't escape the critical glare of the German media with Kicker describing it as a "near disgrace" that they won marginally against the minnows.
Spiegel slammed Wirtz's performance, writing: "An extremely weak performance. He lacked physical intensity in almost all his actions.
"After 28 minutes, he showed a good burst of speed, his characteristic close ball control, and even a shot – but it went well over the bar. He repeatedly dribbled himself into trouble and lacked any spark of inspiration."
Speaking on the eve of the international break, Nagelsmann defended Wirtz following his struggles for Liverpool, which have seen him pinpointed for criticism after his £116million move from Bayer Leverkusen.
"To be honest, the overall situation doesn't make it easy for Flo either," he said.
"The whole club isn't as stable this year as it was last year. It's much harder to slip into the team now.
"If you look at the game against [Manchester] City, they were actually the worse team over the 90 minutes.
"So it's also difficult for Flo to make a big impact. Ultimately, the overall situation is such that he just needs a little more time, which is normal; you see that with other players who move to the Premier League too."
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