Preview for Germany v Luxembourg
There is little margin for error for Germany over the next week. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have to win both games if they want to stay in the hunt for direct qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals.
Their 2-0 defeat in Slovakia last month – the country’s first defeat away from home in WCQ – has put them firmly behind the eight ball in Group A and six points is desperately needed from games against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland.
Luxembourg are the visitors in Sinsheim tomorrow night before Die Mannschaft take on Michael O’Neill’s men in Belfast on Monday.
On paper, the former looks by far the easier prospect and former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus is demanding a win and an element of continuity from Nagelsmann.
Having experimented with a 4-2-3-1 in Slovakia with disastrous consequences, the former Bayern boss switched to a 3-4-2-1 against Northern Ireland, resulting in a 3-1 victory in Cologne.
Matthaus told Bild: “The time of experiments must finally be over. Both in terms of tactics and personnel. The team has to get used to it. Even the game against Luxembourg must be used for this – because processes can also be rehearsed against weaker opponents.
“I’d recommend the 3-4-2-1 system with two wing-backs, similar to the successful formation of Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso. Leroy Sané and Chris Führich, who can play as a winger, are rarely used at the moment. And Serge Gnabry has recently developed more into a central player and feels more comfortable there.”
Luxembourg have yet to pick up a point but did push Slovakia all the way in their last outing. It looked like they had done enough to get a point when Ľubomír Tupta popped up in the final minute to hand Slovakia a vital 1-0 win.
Team News for Germany v Luxembourg
Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade trained with the rest of the squad today after arriving late to camp due to a heavy cold.
Woltemade has scored four times for the Premier League side since joining from Stuttgart but has yet to find the target in four appearances for the national side.
Jamie Leweling missed training today, however, and worn’t be considered for the game in Sinsheim.
Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, playmaker Jamal Musiala, defender Antonio Rüdiger, and attackers Kai Havertz and Tim Kleindienst are all absent due to injury.
Progrès Niederkorn’s Kenan Avdusinovic could make his Luxembourg debut while Christopher Martins is back in the squad after injury.
Mica Pinto was not called up as he is without a club and lacking match fitness while Danel Sinani is suspended.
Predicted line-ups for Germany v Luxembourg
Germany: Baumann; Anton, Tah, Koch; Schade, Kimmich, Goretzka, Raum; Gnabry, Wirtz; Woltemade
Luxembourg: Moris; Jans, Mahmutovic, Korac, Carlson; Olesen, Barreiro; Moreira, Cruz, Bohnert; Dardari
How to watch Germany v Luxembourg: TV and online streams
Germany versus Luxembourg kicks off at 7.45pm UK time. It is not on TV in the UK but can be streamed via the Amazon Prime PPV service.
Stats for Germany v Luxembourg
- Germany have won all three competitive meetings with Luxembourg, scoring 16 goals in the process
- Julian Nagelsmann’s win-rate across his first 25 matches as national team coach is just 52%
