Germany national team coach Julian Nagelsmann has acknowledged the difficulty he faces in the March international break due to the importance of domestic duties, referencing Kai Havertz’s return.
Havertz missed all of Germany’s action in 2025 due to injury, but now, the Arsenal star is available for selection.
It’s good news for Nagelsmann, but not so much for Mikel Arteta, who needs to carefully manage Havertz’s minutes due to the long-standing effects of his injuries over the past year.
The March international break is almost upon us, and the Germany boss has been talking to the media, where he spoke about Havertz’s return and the difficulty of balancing international and domestic duties.
If you were Mikel Arteta would you stop Kai Havertz from going on international duty in March?
Julian Nagelsmann wants him back 😬
Julian Nagelsmann previews Kai Havertz’s return to Germany squad for the March international break
Nagelsmann just spoke to Kicker ahead of the March break, which is when Germany will face Switzerland and Ghana in friendlies.
“This is a difficult situation in which, as a coach, you sometimes have to turn a blind eye to give the players the freedom to focus on the important phase of the season at their club,” he said of the timing of the March break.
Despite acknowledging the difficulty in balancing between international and domestic needs, Nagelsmann maintained that Germany need Havertz, and others, to return.
“Jamal, Kai, and Florian Wirtz were three incredibly important pillars of our team at the home European Championship. If they are out for an extended period, it automatically hinders development. We simply had too many absences last year.”
He added that it’s “advisable for them to return in March”.
“They only know some of the things we’ve been doing since then, in theory, from conversations with me.
“So it’s really valuable that they’re back, because otherwise it will eventually become difficult for them to find their rhythm within the national team.”
I think Arsenal have a difficult call to make with Kai Havertz
Naturally, Havertz will want to report to international duty in March to ensure he ties down his spot at the World Cup.
That being said, when Nagelsmann was speaking to Kicker, he made it very clear how important Havertz is to the national team, so the chances of his absence costing his World Cup place are non-existent.
For that reason, as an Arsenal fan, I think it’s time for Arteta to make a tough call and refuse Nagelsmann’s request when Havertz is presumably called up.
For starters, Arsenal are already wary that Havertz cannot overplay, so the idea of him reporting for two international friendlies in the middle of a title race is unfathomable.
Yes, Nagelsmann needs Havertz to re-integrate into the Germany squad, but it’s a simple case of Arsenal needing him more right now.
How do Arsenal manage the March international break?
If Arsenal progress in the Champions League and the FA Cup, they will return to a bustling schedule after the international break concludes.
The FA Cup quarter-final is pencilled in to be played around April 4th, and the Champions League quarter-final legs are over the 7th and 14th.
Let’s also not forget that Arsenal face Manchester City in the second Premier League game after the international break concludes, a match that is poised to all but decide the title race.
Under no circumstances can Arteta risk not having Havertz available if his striker’s schedule permits him to have a break just before the game.
It will be a test of Arteta’s willpower, that’s for sure, but it’s a decision he must make with Arsenal’s entire season on the line.
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