Germany are in a tricky position as the World Cup holders face a premature exit but Thomas Muller remains optimistic amid the chaos.
The world champions will take on Sweden in an important Group F match in Sochi on Saturday after last week’s shock loss to Mexico.
Germany were uncharacteristically poor in a 1-0 defeat, triggering widespread backlash and reports of squad disharmony, which star forward Muller dismissed in the build-up.
With Sweden in a strong position after edging South Korea, Germany’s title defence could hinge on the result at Fisht Stadium and, while the heat is on, Muller is upbeat.
“We have made ourselves vulnerable. We are self-critical enough to analyse the situation, but now we must look forwards together,” Muller said.
“We have two important tasks in front of us. The pressure is terrifically high, but we won’t win both games if we beat ourselves up internally and look for the mistakes in each other.
“There is nothing we want more than to be successful against Sweden, you can believe us on that.”