MIKA BAUR is poised to make his Germany debut as Jurgen Klopp hopes for third time lucky in his bid for a first win since taking charge of the international team.
The former Liverpool boss saw his team topple to a shock 1-0 loss to Greece in Augsburg last night after their Nations League opening 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Klopp summed up the setback as “not cool” as he prepared for the next challenge.
MATCHWINNER…Mika Baur celebrates scoring his first goal for Celtic in the champions’ 1-0 victory over St Johnstone in Perth.
It had always been the 59-year-old gaffer’s intention to split his 44-man squad in two to cope with four quickfire games and Baur is now standing by to take his senior bow with his country due to play Serbia in Munich on Thursday and then the return against the Greeks in Thessaloniki on Sunday.
Baur, a £6.8million recruit from newly-promoted Bundesliga outfit SC Paderborn in the summer, is set to become the first Hoops player to be capped by Germany since right-back Andreas Hinkel 17 years ago.
Reflecting on his nation’s first-ever defeat against Greece following Dimitros Kourbelis’ deflected 74th-minute strike, Klopp. speaking to BBC Sport, said: “I could have lived with us not winning, but you cannot lose such a game.
“We have been together for a week now, all mixed together, and that needs time.
“The result is not cool, but it is absolutely part of the process.”
BEFORE THE SETBACK…Jurgen Klopp applauds his Germany players.
Klopp was appointed on a four-year deal in July as he replaced Julian Nagelsmann who quit in the aftermath of Germany’s unexpected loss to Paraguay in the last 32 of the World Cup Finals.
They are now winless in four matches since beating Ivory Coast in their second group game in the USA.
Baur hopes to play his part in getting his country back on track – and presenting Klopp with his first win at this level.
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