Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's tactics are to blame for Germany's struggles in 2018, according to a former Die Mannschaft player.
Read: 5 Nominees For BBC African Player Of The Year Announced
Joachim Low's charges endured a tough 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign in Russia, where, as defending champions, they were eliminated at the group stage of the competition.
To follow that up, Die Mannschaft finished last in their UEFA Nations League group, and were relegated to League B.
Former Germany defender Hans-Peter Briegel feels that Guardiola's tactics, which he feels Low is using, is partly to blame for the poor results.
"A very simple principle has escaped our mind: that, in football, the result is more important than the control of the game," Briegel told Italian publication Repubblica.
"Since Guardiola arrived at Bayern Munich, something has changed. We had the illusion that 75% of possession was needed to win. But having control of the ball is not enough to get a result, not always at least.
"Recent history, and also with the world champions France, has shown that you can also win by leaving the ball to the opponents and having less than 50% of possession."
Read: Report: Barca Start Talks To Sell Two Stars
Why do you think Germany have struggled in 2018? Have your say in the comments section below.
