"Flick has blood on his hands" "This is gonna get so ugly" - Germany fans lose their minds as player dubbed 'utterly garbage' starts 2022 FIFA World Cup clash against Spain

Hansi Flick has named Thilo Kehrer in Germany's starting line-up to face Spain in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and fans are not happy.

Germany had a demoralizing start to their FIFA World Cup campaign, losing 2-1 to Japan. They will thus be determined to return to winning ways when they take to the field again today.

Die Mannschaft are set to face Spain in their second group-stage match of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar today. Luis Enrique's men notably go into the game on the back of a thumping 7-0 win over Costa Rica in their opener.

With less than an hour to go until kick-off, Germany have announced their starting line-up for the game. Flick has notably made two changes to the team that lost to Japan in their opener.

Kai Havertz has been relegated to the bench, with Leon Goretzka taking his place in the team. It appears Thomas Muller will play further forward today, allowing his Bayern Munich teammate to play in midfield.

Nico Schlotterbeck, who struggled against Japan, is another player who has lost his place in Germany's first XI. West Ham United defender Kehrer has taken his place in the team's backline.

Flick will be hopeful that the changes will stand his team in good stead as they look to earn their first win of the tournament. Fans, though, are not on board with his decision to start Kehrer. One fan wrote on Twitter:

It now remains to be seen if Kehrer can prove his doubters wrong by helping Germany to their first win at the FIFA World Cup.

How are Spain lining up against Germany in the FIFA World Cup?

While Flick has made three changes to his team as he desperately looks for a win, Enrique has made just one change to the team that beat Costa Rica. Dani Carvajal has notably come in for Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back.

Spain have the likes of Alvaro Morata, Ansu Fati, Carlos Soler and Nico Williams available on the bench if needed.

About the author

Dakir is a European and Indian football journalist at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 10 years. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, and currently pursuing Master’s in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University, he is a seasoned football journalist who has interviewed the likes of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise, covered the entire 2022-23 Indian Super League season of the Kerala Blasters, and has delivered a seminar at an international conference held by St. Albert's College, Ernakulam.

Thanks to his extensive academic background in journalism, Dakir understands the importance of accuracy and spends a significant amount of time researching the subject. In today’s data-driven world of football, where players are perceived as machines, he prides himself amplify the voices of the people that make football the beautiful game that it is.

He started following football in 2013, and more specifically, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, and admires Jurgen Klopp for his untouched charisma and unmatched legacy. A perpetual underdog supporter, he is a fan of under-fire Reds forward Darwin Nunez and can’t wait for him to show the world what he truly is. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s iconic “corner taken quickly” corner assist for Divock Origi in Liverpool’s 4-0 UCL semifinal win over Barcelona left a lasting impact on him.

When not writing, Dakir enjoys indulging in his guilty pleasure - watching mass commercial movies.

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