Germany get their UEFA Nations League campaign underway with a game against world champions France at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Thursday (kick-off: 8:45pm CEST/7:45pm BST/2:45pm ET).
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Germany manager Joachim Löw named three new players and recalled three others for what is his side’s opening fixture in the new European competition. Paris Saint-Germain’s Thilo Kehrer, Hoffenheim’s Nico Schulz and Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz have all been called up to the senior squad for the first time, while Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah, Freiburg’s Nils Petersen and Manchester City’s Leroy Sane are included again. Seven World Cup winners from 2014 are in the running to start in Munich, with one of them – Manuel Neuer – set to captain the side in this League A, Group 1 fixture.
France are bringing all but one of the squad that won the World Cup in Russia to Germany, with injured second-choice goalkeeper Steve Mandanda replaced by Benoit Costil of Bordeaux. Didier Deschamps’ selection includes two players currently with Bundesliga clubs – Stuttgart defender Benjamin Pavard and Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso. Pavard is likely to take his place at right-back, while Tolisso and former Borussia Dortmund attacker Ousmane Dembele could start from the bench.
Probable line-ups
Germany: Neuer (c) – Kimmich, Boateng, Hummels, Hector – Gündogan, Kroos – Müller, Reus, Sane – WernerSubs: ter Stegen, Ginter, Kehrer, Rüdiger, Schultz, Süle, Tah, Brandt, Draxler, Goretzka, Havertz, PetersenCoach: Joachim Löw
France: Lloris (c) – Pavard, Varane, Umititi, Hernandez – Pogba, Kante – Mbappe, Griezmann, Matuidi – GiroudSubs: Costil, Areola, Rami, Sidibe, Mendy, Kimpembe, Tolisso, Nzonzi, Fekir, Dembele, Lemar, ThauvinCoach: Didier Deschamps
Match stats
The last meeting of Germany and France was a friendly in Cologne in November 2017, when Lars Stindl got an injury-time equaliser for the hosts. Timo Werner also scored in the 2-2 draw.
Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels scored the only goal when Germany beat Les Bleus 1-0 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals on their way to becoming world champions for a fourth time.
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann – who will face Borussia Dortmund in this season’s UEFA Champions League group stage – scored twice when France got the better of Germany in the UEFA Euro 2016 semi-final.
Along with Germany and France, the Netherlands are also in Group 1 in League A of the UEFA Nations League. The new competition sees 55 European national teams divided into four leagues – with League A featuring the top-ranked sides. The team that finishes last in each group will be relegated to League B, while the four group winners will try to win the Nations League trophy in June 2019.
Manuel Neuer (32) is the oldest player in Joachim Löw’s squad, while Kai Havertz (19) is the youngest.
Following Thursday’s match, Germany will host Peru in a friendly in Sinsheim on Sunday 9 September.