The German national team is preparing for Friday’s World Cup qualifying match against Luxembourg, which will take place at the Stade de Luxembourg. After three consecutive victories, Julian Nagelsmann’s squad has a chance to strengthen its position and improve its goal difference before the key Monday match against Slovakia.
History clearly favors Germany. In the previous five encounters in qualifiers and Olympic tournaments, the Germans have always won and achieved a goal difference of plus 24. In their most recent meeting in Sinsheim, they secured a 4–0 victory, with captain Joshua Kimmich scoring twice and Serge Gnabry adding another goal.
Luxembourg has already lost its chance to qualify, having been defeated in all four matches. In the previous game against Germany, it held possession for only 16 percent of the time and will once again rely mainly on defense and set pieces.
Coach Nagelsmann must deal with absences in defense. Antonio Rüdiger will not return until spring and Nico Schlotterbeck is struggling with a foot problem. Against a weaker opponent, he may opt for a formation with three defenders to strengthen the attack. With Kimmich injured, Leon Goretzka returns to the starting lineup and could also cover in defense late in the match.
The squad does not include young midfielder Tom Bischof, who has been replaced by Assan Ouedraogo from Leipzig. Nagelsmann plans to rest key players once the team gains a lead and switch to a traditional four-defender formation. Luxembourg is expected to play with a four-man defense and focus on resisting the pressure from the favorite.
The match kicks off at 21:00 local time and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 2. For Germany, it represents an ideal opportunity to confirm its improving form and move closer to securing a place at the World Cup.
