Mahmutovic replaces Grohs in the German national football team

With Ena Mahmutovic replacing goalkeeper Maria Luisa Grohs, who is suffering from a malignant tumor, the German footballers go into the two international test matches against Switzerland and Italy. The new national coach Christian Wück nominated the 20-year-old Bayern player for the last matches of the year on November 29th (8:30 p.m./ZDF live stream) in Zurich and on December 2nd (8:00 p.m. ARD) in Bochum. Ann-Katrin Berger is taking a break with her club NJ/NY Gotham after the Olympic tournament in the summer and the long season in the USA. The goalkeeper and “Footballer of the Year”, who plays in the USA, is only on call in the squad. The newcomers to the 23-man squad are Cora Zicai, 19, from SC Freiburg and Alara Sehitler, 17, from FC Bayern. “The last few days have shown that sport takes a back seat when it comes to health. Our doors at the national team are always open to you,” said Wück about Grohs. The 23-year-old and FC Bayern made her cancer diagnosis public at the weekend. Other goalkeepers in the 51-year-old Wück’s squad are Stina Johannes from Eintracht Frankfurt and Sophia Winkler (SGS Essen). The Olympic bronze medalists from France have to make do without the long-time captain from VfL Wolfsburg following the resignation of Alexandra Popp. On his debut as Horst Hrubesch’s successor in October, Wück won 4-3 at Wembley against European champions and runners-up England and then suffered a 1-2 defeat against Australia in Duisburg. Defender Kathrin Hendrich from Wolfsburg, who was missing at the time, is back. Midfielder Sara Däbritz from Olympique Lyon and strikers Nicole Anyomi (Frankfurt) and Vivien Endemann (Wolfsburg) were only nominated on call. Next year the DFB women will have games in the Nations League and the European Championships in Switzerland.