Nagelsmann to pick best team for Nations League finals despite CWC

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has announced that he intends to field his best possible squad for the Final Four tournament of the Nations League in June despite the Club World Cup coming straight afterwards.

Following the quarter-final victory against Italy on Sunday, Germany have a Nations League semi-final against Portugal on June 4 and possible final on June 8.

But the Club World Cup, which will be held for the first time in an expanded format of 32 teams, is scheduled to take place from June 15 to July 13 in the United States.

Bundesliga clubs Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will participate but Nagelsmann will make no concessions despite widespread worries about player overload.

"You can't take anything else into consideration, it is a tournament," Nagelsmann told reporters about Europe's third-tier Nationa League competition.

But he acknowledged that June and early July - the traditional holiday period for players between the two seasons - was going to be hectic for some.

"The Club World Cup is a brutal strain. I won't say more about it," Nagelsmann remarked.

Germany's Bayern players will have to depart for the Club World Cup almost immediately after the Nations League finals. Bayern's first group match is set for June 15 in Cincinnati against Auckland City.

The team will travel to the United States several days earlier to acclimatize. Borussia Dortmund begin their campaign on June 17 against Fluminense from Brazil.

The Under-21 European Championship will also take place from June 11 to 28 in Slovakia, with Germany also participating. A club versus country row is possible for some players.