Sports Mole previews Friday’s World Cup Qualifying – Europe clash between Luxembourg and Germany, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two wins away from confirming their place at World Cup 2026, Germany can take another step towards next year’s finals by beating Luxembourg on Friday.
As Group A nears its climax, Die Nationalelf have qualification in their own hands, following back-to-back victories last month.
Match preview
Having started off with a rare qualifying defeat, Germany have since restored order in Group A, posting three straight wins to claim top spot in the table – most recently beating Northern Ireland in Belfast.
Just ahead of Slovakia on goal difference, Julian Nagelsmann‘s side will be confirmed in the top two if they win again on Friday and third-placed Northern Ireland fail to beat the Slovaks – or if they draw and Michael O’Neill’s men lose.
Still, anything other than maximum points this month could put Germany at risk of slipping into the playoffs: only the first-placed team in each group advances straight to the newly expanded finals.
Before Monday’s potentially pivotal clash with Slovakia, Die Nationalelf must first take care of business in Luxembourg City, where the four-time world champions will take on one of Europe’s minnows.
With a modest record of just 14 wins from his first 26 matches as Bundestrainer, Nagelsmann will certainly expect to add one more against opponents who were beaten 4-0 in last month’s reverse fixture.
Up against 10 men for more than an hour, Germany skipper Joshua Kimmich scored twice on that occasion, and his team now aims to post four wins from four since slipping up in Slovakia.
To date, Luxembourg have lost all four competitive meetings with their much bigger neighbours – conceding 20 goals in the process – and they did well to simply keep the scoreline down after Dirk Carlson was sent off in October.
Three days later, Les Lions Rouges lost 2-0 in Slovakia, so they have yet to pick up a single point in Group A.
Already sure to finish last, Jeff Strasser‘s team are merely playing for pride at the end of another unsuccessful qualifying campaign.
Dating back nearly two years, Luxembourg have waited 11 competitive matches for a win, having recently fallen to 97th in the FIFA world rankings.
With two games to go – after hosting Germany, Strasser’s side are bound for Belfast – they will at least hope to score just their second goal of the process.
Luxembourg World Cup Qualifying – Europe form:
L L L L
Luxembourg form (all competitions):
L D L L L L
Germany World Cup Qualifying – Europe form:
L W W W
Germany form (all competitions):
L L L W W W
Team News
In addition to long-term absentees Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala, Germany are also missing Nadiem Amiri, Niclas Fullkrug and experienced centre-back Antonio Rudiger for this month’s matches.
Furthermore, captain Kimmich is unavailable at right-back, while Waldemar Anton is on standby to replace injury doubt Nico Schlotterbeck at the heart of the visitors’ defence.
With Musiala still sidelined, Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz should continue in a creative role behind lone striker Nick Woltemade, who scored the winning goal against Northern Ireland last time out.
Karim Adeyemi is suspended, so Serge Gnabry and recalled winger Leroy Sane may join them in the final third; teenage new-boys Said El Mala and Assan Ouedraogo will both hope to make their senior debut from the bench.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg’s most notable absentee is NAC Breda defender Enes Mahmutovic, who is out with an abdominal issue. Mica Pinto, Yvandro Borges and Vincent Thill are also unavailable.
In better news for the hosts, Carlson can return after serving a one-match ban for his red card in Germany, so he should start on the left side of a back four.
Aiman Dardari of Bundesliga club Augsburg – who has scored Luxembourg’s only qualifying goal so far – could feature up front, supported by two more Germany-based players: Mathias Olesen of Greuther Furth and St Pauli’s Danel Sinani.
Luxembourg possible starting lineup:
Moris; Jans, M. Martins, Korac, Carlson; Olesen; Sinani, C. Martins, Barreiro, Moreira; Dardari
Germany possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Baku, Tah, Anton, Raum; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Gnabry, Wirtz, Sane; Woltemade
We say: Luxembourg 0-3 Germany
Keeping one eye on Monday’s showdown with Slovakia, there is every chance that Germany will build an unassailable lead and then step off the gas.
Luxembourg have put up some resistance in most matches so far, but they are inevitably out of their depth at this level.
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