Closing device for closing containers which have a filling opening , such as bottles, cans, vials, cartridges or ampoules, comprising - a positioning apparatus for arrangement of a container to be closed into a position for closing, - a flushing apparatus with a nozzle device for blowing in flushing gas, in particular inert gas, into a container to be closed though its filling opening prior to closure, - a closing element setting apparatus for attachment of a closing element to a container to be closed in a position which closes its filling opening and - a control apparatus , wherein the nozzle device has a central nozzle arrangement and a peripheral nozzle arrangement which surrounds the central nozzle arrangement, wherein the nozzle device and a container to be closed can be positioned relative to one another in a flushing position so that the central nozzle arrangement is aligned at least primarily to its filling opening for the introduction of flushing gas into the container and the peripheral nozzle arrangement aims at a peripheral region of the filling opening so that both the filling opening and also its periphery are exposed to a flushing gas flow if the nozzle device outputs flushing gas, characterised in that the position for closing and the flushing position for a respective container to be flushed and closed correspond to one another and that the nozzle device is movable relative to a container introduced by means of the positioning apparatus into the position for closing between the flushing position and a retracted position, wherein it is positioned in the flushing position with its flushing gas outlet end opposite the filling opening of the container overlapping this. comprising - a positioning apparatus for arrangement of a container to be closed into a position for closing, - a flushing apparatus with a nozzle device for blowing in flushing gas, in particular inert gas, into a container to be closed though its filling opening prior to closure, - a closing element setting apparatus for attachment of a closing element to a container to be closed in a position which closes its filling opening and - a control apparatus , - a positioning apparatus for arrangement of a container to be closed into a position for closing, - a flushing apparatus with a nozzle device for blowing in flushing gas, in particular inert gas, into a container to be closed though its filling opening prior to closure, - a closing element setting apparatus for attachment of a closing element to a container to be closed in a position which closes its filling opening and - a control apparatus , wherein the nozzle device has a central nozzle arrangement and a peripheral nozzle arrangement which surrounds the central nozzle arrangement, wherein the nozzle device and a container to be closed can be positioned relative to one another in a flushing position so that the central nozzle arrangement is aligned at least primarily to its filling opening for the introduction of flushing gas into the container and the peripheral nozzle arrangement aims at a peripheral region of the filling opening so that both the filling opening and also its periphery are exposed to a flushing gas flow if the nozzle device outputs flushing gas, characterised in that the position for closing and the flushing position for a respective container to be flushed and closed correspond to one another and that the nozzle device is movable relative to a container introduced by means of the positioning apparatus into the position for closing between the flushing position and a retracted position, wherein it is positioned in the flushing position with its flushing gas outlet end opposite the filling opening of the container overlapping this. <EOS>