Can and Wolf look to be in line for national team call-ups

By Peter Vice   @ViceytheSS

Two of Borussia Dortmund’s recent star performers remain hopeful of what would be well-deserved call-ups to Hansi Flick’s German national team. 

Emré Can’s recent resurgence leaves the 29-year-old hopeful that he can return to the German national team during the coming international break. The Bayern München campus graduate and former Liverpool star has settled into a monumentally important tactical role for Edin Terzic’s BVB during the team’s unprecedented 10-match-winning streak since play resumed after the turn of the calendar year.

Can has started all ten fixtures for Dortmund, only failing to go the full 90 minutes on the first two occasions. Can’s contribution to the BVB tactics includes a midfield “flight director’s” role on the attack from a flexible six position. Even more importantly, the veteran has helped out the previously struggling defensive ranks via regular drop backs between center-halves Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle.

Along the way, he’s scored two vitally important goals in the league and Pokal. Speaking at a pre-match presser ahead of Dortmund’s Champions League tie with Chelsea, Can reflected upon the remarkable turnaround. After re-visiting his frustrations with the first phase of the season (expressed during the club’s January training camp), Can expressed the hope that this form surge would enable him to once again represent the country.

“I had my thoughts during the winter break,” Can recounted, “In the first half of the season, I was too disappointed and complained about things I can’t change. I let that drag me down. I often pointed the finger at others. Family and friends helped me out of my funk. In recent weeks, I’ve met my own expectations. My goal is always to help my team in difficult phases and also to offer myself up for bigger things like the national team.”

The Frankfurt-native can almost certainly hope to get the chance to once again “offer something” to Hansi Flick’s Nationalmannschaft. The Bundestrainer has openly stated that he is looking for new solutions for the defense. The 27-times-capped international – after last appearing for the national team during the summer 2021 European Championships – counts as one such possible solution.

One of Can’s teammates may also be line for a look under Flick. In the case of twenty-seven-year-old journeyman Marius Wolf, one beholds a player likely to earn his first call up to the senior squad ever. The in-form fullback/winger – who even only represented Germany at youth level once – has become an indispensable part of Terzic’s team.

Having proven himself as a reliable fullback on both flanks, Wolf could end up being Flick’s solution for a dearth of options at right-back. The fact that Flick’s normal starting left-back David Raum isn’t playing regularly for his club at the moment also means that the Bundestrainer may wish to test someone else out on the left-hand side of defense as well.

Terzic recently endorsed Wolf for a call-up in a recent interview. In the words of the BVB trainer, the now €6.5 million-valued player has “earned a look”. Wolf has consistently earned high marks whilst playing in four positions (both fullback and winger sides) during 21 appearances across all competitions for Dortmund this season.

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