Watch The captain’s armband

The opening match against Japan is coming up, but instead of talking about football, all eyes are on a piece of cloth: The scandal surrounding captain Manuel Neuer's armband is dominating the headlines. How much do the discussions off the pitch affect the players? Manager Oliver Bierhoff and DFB President Bernd Neuendorf try to save the situation and keep the debates away from the team. All in vain – as coaches and players have to answer many critical questions at media sessions and press conferences, but hardly any about the game against Japan. A look behind the scenes shows that the lack of support from the fans and the constant discussion about the armband definitely have an impact on the players. Anticipation or even enthusiasm just can't seem to set in. Hansi Flick tries to convince the players in the preparatory meetings with a defiant: “Now more than ever!” – and is rather successful. When football is finally played, the German team fights off goal chance after goal chance again