Thomas Tuchel makes last-minute plans for England vs Germany U21 Euros final

England manager Thomas Tuchel is set to make a frenzied trip to Slovakia in order to watch England under-21s play their European Championship final against Germany on Saturday night. After beating the Netherlands 2-1 on Wednesday, Lee Carsley's side are now just 90 minutes away from retaining the title they won in Georgia and Romania two years ago.

Tuchel, however, has opted not to attend the tournament in favour of travelling to America for the Club World Cup. While watching England players, the 51-year-old is also said to be assessing potential training venues and accommodation ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The USA, Canada, and Mexico will host the tournament next summer, which will consist of a record 48 countries.

However, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss is now planning to fly from America to Bratislava to watch the Young Lions in action. The game kicks off at 9pm Saturday night local time, and the flight between the two destinations is thought to take around 12 hours.

Tuchel has not watched the under-21s play since beginning his tenure, but he has drawn praise from Carsley this week for his support. He also dismissed the notion that the 2021 Chelsea Champions League-winning boss would be torn with England playing against his home nation.

"Thomas has strongly supported us from the day he came in," said Carsley. "He's at the Club World Cup now, so the travel arrangements are being made for him to come to the game. Hopefully, he makes it on time.

"He's very interested in the players. He's committed to the Under-21s. We look forward to having him here. He's a very nice guy. I imagine he will be supporting England as the England head coach. He's been there whenever I've needed him on the phone or with a message."

Midfielder James McAtee said: "If he does come it will be extra motivation for the lads to win. More reason to impress the manager."

Tuchel is set to be joined by FA chief football officer Dan Ashworth, who watched England's second group match against Slovenia before flying home. Technical director John McDermott has been with the squad throughout the tournament.

England's one defeat in Slovenia came against Germany in the group stages. Antonio Di Salvo's side beat them 2-1, but both teams were still able to progress.