Overview
- On Thursday, September 17, Jürgen Klopp announced a 44‑player pool split into two 22‑man groups so the coaching staff can run broad, parallel tests across the upcoming Nations League matches.
- Klopp picked 16 possible debutants and elevated Marc‑André ter Stegen to first‑choice goalkeeper while explaining that form, fitness and fit with his plan drove decisions.
- Several recent World Cup players were left out — including Leroy Sané, Leon Goretzka, Deniz Undav and Oliver Baumann — with Klopp saying those omissions reflect current form rather than final exclusions.
- At club level, Bayern’s 7:0 win over Union Berlin on Friday sharpened selection questions by boosting the international cases for performers such as Harry Kane (his 100th Bundesliga goal) and Michael Olise (hat‑trick) and by deepening concern about Union’s worst-ever start.
- Other factors to watch during the break include Hamburger SV’s decision to extend coach Merlin Polzin for stability and Konrad Laimer’s minor adductor injury that rules him out of Austria’s first Nations League fixtures and illustrates how club injuries will affect national squads.