Joachim Loew admitted it was a “black day” for Germany after their 6-0 drubbing against Spain in the Nations League piled pressure on the team’s coach.
Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick as Spain ran riot in Seville, leaving Loew to pick through the wreckage of Germany’s worst defeat for 89 years.
“This has been a black day for us,” admitted Loew after Germany’s heaviest defeat since losing 6-0 to Austria in Berlin in 1931.
“We completely lost track of our plan after we went 1-0 down, which was deadly and the Spanish took their chances.
“Nothing worked, neither in defence nor attack.
“We left huge spaces, there was a lack of communication between the players.”
The thrashing was double that of Loew’s previous worst defeat as Germany coach, when his side lost by 3-0 to both the Czech Republic in 2007 and to the Netherlands in 2018.
Coming two years after their 2018 World Cup debacle, when Germany failed to get out of their group, this is the biggest crisis of Loew’s 14-year reign.
The 60-year-old, who led Germany to the 2014 World Cup title, insists he can still turn things around with seven months to go before the European Championships kick off in June.
Germany face France and Portugal, the reigning world and European champions, in their group.
“Of course,” Loew insisted when asked if he wants to stay on, with two years left on his German FA contract.
“It’s our duty to look at this and ask what we can do better.
“We were second best in every department, it was a black day – there is no way of dressing this up.”
Loew has already been given the backing by Germany team director Oliver Bierhoff.
“The trust in Joachim Löw is still completely there, absolutely,” insisted Bierhoff.
“We have to analyse this hard – the Spanish goalkeeper hardly made a save the whole game.
“There was a lack of experience there, no question.
“We have to get rid of all the co-ordination problems in defence.”
Germany's 6-0 loss against Spain was the first time Neuer has ever conceded six goals in a competitive match for club or country 😣 pic.twitter.com/j0mC2azoJk
— Goal (@goal) November 18, 2020
Germany got Braziled by Spain just like how they Braziled, Brazil in the World Cup
— Effi Saharudin 🇲🇾🤡 (@1Obefiend) November 18, 2020
Switzerland drew with Spain with 10 men and almost beat them but Germany who have more quality struggled and looked like a non-league side.
— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) November 17, 2020
Germany didn't look like a well-shaped and organised team but Switzerland did.
There have been just three instances of teams winning by a six-goal margin in the Nations League, with all three coming in Group A:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 17, 2020
◉ Switzerland 6-0 Iceland
◉ Spain 6-0 Croatia
◉ Spain 6-0 Germany
Don't mess with Spain. pic.twitter.com/RGjsoibtTj
Bayern Munich should be made the national team of germany
— Oluwa hustler (@ranchoYuleMdark) November 18, 2020
Una noche histórica que hará crecer a este equipo. ¡A la Final Four! 💪🏻🇪🇸
— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) November 17, 2020
An historic night that will help us grow as a team. To the Final Four! 💪🇪🇦#VamosEspaña #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/ZXexnXukeC
🇪🇸 Ferrán Torres = hat-trick hero! ⚽️⚽️⚽️#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/NDnQubFpEo
— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2020) November 17, 2020
😳 Spain 6-0 Germany.
— FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys) November 17, 2020
Germany have reached an all time Löw... pic.twitter.com/2xdGKUPy0s
It has been confirmed that the spain vs Germany match is a payback for bayern vs barcelona
— MaLiK🥶👑 (@ayamcocaine) November 17, 2020
ⓘ 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲
Apparently, Germany is in Spain but the "S" is silent 😂😂😂
— 2 Fouzind 🕗 (@Thursday_borne) November 17, 2020
Germany conceded 2 goals more in 90 minutes today vs Spain than they let in during their whole 2014 World Cup tournament. #ESPGER pic.twitter.com/XU5VUqokBL
— M•A•J (@Ultra_Suristic) November 17, 2020
With inputs from AFP