Germany coach Joachim Loew described the Confederations Cup as ‘a gift’ in his side’s bid to defend the World Cup next year, ahead of Monday’s clash against Australia.
Loew has left most of his World Cup-winners at home and brought an inexperienced squad, who have made just 179 international appearances between them, to Russia.
With an average age of 24 years and four months, Germany have the most youthful squad of the eight Confederations Cup teams.
Loew has rested all of the team which won the 2014 World Cup final, but insists the Confed Cup gives him the perfect platform to test Germany’s next crop of stars.
It is a U-turn from last month’s comments when Loew said he ‘wouldn’t be sad’ if the Confed Cup, a warm-up tournament for the 2018 World Cup, is not held in 2021.
“The Confed Cup is like a gift for me,” said Loew, Germany’s coach for more than a decade, in Sunday’s press conference in Sochi.
“It will help us reach our goals next year or afterwards and it helps to make our players better.
“That’s why I believe that this Confed Cup is incredibly important.”
With first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer recovering from foot surgery, Bayer Leverkusen’s Bernd Leno, 25, will start and Julian Draxler, 23, will take the captain’s armband.
Loew’s young guns drew with Denmark in a friendly earlier this month and hammered minnows San Marino in a World Cup qualifier.
With Chile and Cameroon to follow in Group B, Loew says his team will be flexible against the Socceroos, the 2015 Asian Cup winners, but expects to see signs of nerves.
“The team and I are really up for the start,” he said.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate