Helsinki – The Germany national ice hockey team must win their second preliminary round against France. The 2021 World Cup fourth will play out on Monday (7:20 pm / Sport 1 and MagentaSport) as the clear favourites.

“The game is not as easy as you think,” said Berlin striker Marcel Knoebbels. If you can play freely, it often makes it easier.”

initial situation:

At the start of the World Cup, Toni Söderholm, ranked ninth in the world rankings, lost 5–3 to record world champions Canada and then won 2–1 to Slovakia, which had come third at the Olympics. . “We improved a little after the first game,” Noebles said.

rival:

World No. 13. Playing together simply because Russia and Belarus were suspended as a result of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Against Slovakia, the French lost 2–0 but lost 4–2. There was a narrow 2:1 against Kazakhstan.

Stats:

Germany won six of the eleven matches of the World Cup. In the final duel in Slovakia in 2019, it was a clear 4:1, the first World Cup with national coach Tony Söderholm.

National coach Tony Soderholm says:

“It’s a passionate team. They live on emotions. You have to care where they come from. You want to prove yourself. Many people will say they don’t belong here,” added the 44-year-old: “These There are typical opponents where you feel like you’ll sleep a little bit at some point in the game and then something will happen.” The Finn did not specify whether he was backing NHL goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer or Berlin champion goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger.

landscape:

After the game in France, the German Ice Hockey Federation team has two days without playing only once during the tournament. Only on Thursday the fourth group match against Denmark continues. Follow the game against Italy, Kazakhstan and Switzerland. The goal is to finish the preliminary round in a group of eight in the top four to advance to the quarter-finals.