Needing just a point to all but guarantee a first-placed finish in League A Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League, Germany welcome Bosnia-Herzegovina to the Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg on Saturday.
Julian Nagelsmann's side have already assured themselves of a spot in the quarter-finals, while their visitors are not completely out of contention despite an appalling set of results so far.
Match preview
© Imago
Fuelled by the agony of a quarter-final exit at their home European Championships this summer, Germany will soon have the chance to right some last-eight wrongs, as Nagelsmann's side wrapped up a Nations League quarter-final berth with two games to spare.
Dropping just two points from their opening four fixtures in Group 3, Die Mannschaft had Deniz Undav to thank for a 2-1 beating of upcoming opponents Bosnia last month, before another unsung national team hero sank the Netherlands in their most recent battle.
With just over an hour played against the Dutch, debutant Jamie Leweling marked his maiden appearance with the winning goal in a 1-0 triumph, putting Germany five points clear of Hungary and the Netherlands and on the cusp of confirming their status as group winners.
Victory on Saturday will guarantee a first-placed finish for the Germans, and the only scenario where a draw would not be enough is if Hungary defeat the Netherlands at the same time and also thump Nagelsmann's men by more than five goals on the final matchday.
Such a scenario is unfathomable for the 2014 World Cup winners, but they would do well to eliminate that miniscule shred of doubt with a triumph at the weekend, which would coincidentally also extinguish Bosnia-Herzegovina's faint hopes of sneaking into the top two.
© Imago
Yo-yoing from League B to League A ever since the inaugural Nations League in 2018-19, Bosnia-Herzegovina's pattern of promotion followed by immediate relegation looks set to continue barring a miraculous set of circumstances this month.
The Golden Lilies have only managed to accrue one point from 12 on offer in League A Group 3 thus far, holding Hungary to a goalless draw on September 10, but they were beaten 2-0 by the same opponents last time out courtesy of a Dominik Szoboszlai double.
Owing to that comprehensive defeat, the aforementioned loss to Germany and 5-2 humiliation at the hands of the Netherlands, Bosnia need to win and hope that the other game between Hungary and the Dutch finishes level if they are to have any hope of making the knockout rounds.
A more likely outcome is Sergej Barbarez's side being condemned to the defeat that would send them straight back down to League B, as their abysmal winless run in all competitions now stands at 10 matches since beating Liechtenstein in a 2023 Euros qualifier.
Nine of those 10 contests have ended in defeat for Bosnia, whose only previous trip to Germany saw them go down 3-1 to Die Mannschaft in a 2010 friendly, where current captain Edin Dzeko opened the scoring before Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger inspired a comeback.
Team News
© Imago
Stuttgart striker Undav - scorer of a brace in October's win over Bosnia - will not get the chance to repeat his trick on Saturday due to injury, while teammate Angelo Stiller has also had to withdraw from the Mannschaft selection due to a muscular problem.
There is also uncertainty over Bayer Leverkusen starboy Florian Wirtz, who has been dealing with an illness and may be spared by Nagelsmann, who cannot call upon the suspended Nico Schlotterbeck either.
There is only space for one uncapped player in Nagelsmann's ranks this month, but it is a high-profile one in Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who competes with one-cap duo Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nubel for the gloves.
Bosnia have also lost one of their own defenders - Nikola Katic - to a ban for an accumulation of yellow cards, a dilemma made even more difficult for Barbarez to solve after Atalanta BC's Sead Kolasinac pulled out with an injury.
Either Nihad Mujakic or Tarik Muharemovic - who plies his trade at Sassuolo on loan from Juventus - should fill the void in defence, while long-serving skipper Dzeko is primed to win his 139th cap in attack.
Even at 38, the former Manchester City title winner's powers have not waned for Turkish giants Fenerbahce, as he links up with the national team having scored 11 goals in 19 appearances for Jose Mourinho's side this season.
Germany possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger, Mittelstadt; Andrich, Gross; Gnabry, Musiala, Sane; Havertz
Bosnia-Herzegovina possible starting lineup:
Vasilj; Mujakic, Bicakcic, Barisic; Gazibegovic, Tahirovic, Hajradinovic, Huseinbasic, Dedic; Dzeko, Demirovic
We say: Germany 3-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina
On Bosnian soil, the Golden Lilies gave Germany a decent run for their money and are now squaring up to a Mannschaft side whom Nagelsmann has conceded are nursing some bumps and bruises.
Nevertheless, Saturday's hosts should comfortably overwhelm their one-point visitors in a comprehensive victory, which would seal both sides' fates before the final matchday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
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