Lady In Red
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Germany enters the match with high spirits following their comfortable victory over France on Saturday night, while the Netherlands will be looking to build on their impressive win against Scotland the day before. Real Madrid star Toni Kroos, making his first start after a three-year absence from international football, set up Florian Wirtz's early goal just seven seconds into the game in Lyon, setting a positive tone for the visitors.
The combination of Kroos and Bayer Leverkusen's Robert Andrich allowed Germany's young talents, including Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, to shine against France, with Kai Havertz adding a second goal in the second half.
After suffering consecutive defeats to Turkey and Austria last November, the win against France was a much-needed boost for Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, especially amidst speculation about his future amid links to Borussia Dortmund.
The clean sheet against France was Germany's first since defeating Peru 2-0 a year ago, with defenders Antonio Rudiger and Jonathan Tah making a strong case for their inclusion in the starting lineup for upcoming matches.
Germany's home record in friendly matches in 2023 raised concerns, with defeats against Turkey, Colombia, Japan, and Belgium. With the Euros approaching, they aim to improve and contend for the European title on home soil.
The Netherlands began their 2024 campaign with a convincing 4-0 win over Scotland, with AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders scoring his first goal for the national team. Georginio Wijnaldum, Wout Weghorst, and Donyell Malen also found the net in a dominant performance.
After a disappointing Nations League campaign, where they finished fourth overall, Ronald Koeman's side has shown improvement, winning four consecutive matches and keeping four clean sheets. Goalkeepers Bart Verbruggen and Mark Flekken have played vital roles in their recent successes.
The Netherlands has a positive record against Germany in recent encounters, including a 4-2 victory in Euro 2020 qualifying back in September 2019. They will aim to continue their strong form in Frankfurt on Tuesday.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
As Euro 2024 draws near, Germany's manager Nagelsmann aims to solidify connections among his preferred starting lineup, suggesting we may see a similar XI to the one that faced France on Saturday.There might be a change in the forward line, with Niclas Fullkrug potentially getting a chance to showcase his abilities alongside Arsenal's Havertz.
Left-back Maximilian Mittelstadt, who made his debut in Lyon, is in contention for consecutive starts, but David Raum from RB Leipzig provides an alternative option for that position. With Manuel Neuer unavailable, Marc-Andre ter Stegen will continue in goal for Germany during this international break.
Jeremie Frimpong started at right-back against Scotland, but he's likely to be replaced by Denzel Dumfries, a more natural fit for that position. Mats Wieffer faced challenges in midfield against Scotland, so PSV Eindhoven's Joey Veerman might take his place on Tuesday.
Wout Weghorst and Donyell Malen, who both scored after coming off the bench against Scotland, are pushing for starting positions. However, Memphis Depay remains a key figure for Koeman and is expected to feature prominently in the lineup.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Germany possible starting lineup:Ter Stegen; Kimmich, Rudiger, Tah, Mittelstadt; Andrich, Kroos, Musiala, Gundogan, Wirtz; Fullkrug
Netherlands possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Dumfries, Geertruida, Van Dijk, Ake; Veerman, Wijnaldum, Reijnders; Simons, Gakpo, Depay
EXPERT PREDICTION
Germany 2-1 Netherlands
The Netherlands enters the game in remarkable form, having scored 12 goals and conceded none in their last four matches. However, we predict that a potentially resurgent Germany team will secure the victory in this matchup.
