New Delhi: Germany will kick start a new era with their opening game of the UEFA Nations League against Hungary at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf. With several stars stepping down following their exit from Euro 2024, now a new side will kick start their first League A Group 3 group.
Germany’s dream of lifting the Euro 2024 on home soil ended in the quarter-finals as they got eliminated by winners Spain in Stuttgart. Nagelsmann will now usher in a new era for the German team as senior players such as Manuel Neuer, Ilkay Gundogan, Thomas Muller, and Toni Kroos have all called it a day on their international careers.
It will be interesting to see how the young guns will find their roots in the German squad, and Nagelsmann goes about finding the right combinations.
Meanwhile, Hungary missed out on a place in the knockout phase of Euro 2024 due to goal difference. They beat Scotland 1-0 at the European Championship in their final group-stage outing match, ending their eight-match winless streak at the European Championship.
Marco Rossi’s side will come rejuvenated in the Nations League and will look to go deeper in the draw. Rossi will need to work some magic to help his side beat Germany and even the Netherlands and Bosnia and Herzegovina to book a top-two finish in Group 3.
Team News
Julian Nagelsmann has appointed Joshua Kimmich as Germany’s captain as several long-serving players are no longer available. Kimmich will captain the side for the ninth time, while Angelo Stiller hopes to make his international debut. The favourites to fill the void left by Kroos and Gundogan in the midfield are Aleksandar Pavlovic, Robert Andrich, and Pascal Gross.
Antonio Rudiger will not be in the starting XI, while Leroy Sane missed out on selection because he is short of match fitness. Young stars Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala are expected to start in the final third, supporting Kai Havertz or Niclas Fullkrug up front.
On the other hand, Hungary will be led by Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai. Peter Gulacsi and Willi Orban are also expected to start. Rolland Sallai, the top-scoring Bundesliga player with 20 goals to date, will be part of the starting line-up.
The players who competed at Euro 2024 – Attila Fiola, Laszlo Kleinheisler, Adam Lang, Callum Styles, and Atilla Szalai have all been left off the roster. However, Barnabas Varga has returned after his severe head injury against Scotland.
Germany vs Hungary Head-to-Head
Both Germany and Hungary have locked horns 38 times. Germany have the edge with 14 wins, while Hungary have won 12 matches. The other 12 have ended in a draw. In the last four meetings, both have picked up a win each. The last time Germany faced Hungary in the UEFA Nations League was in September 2022, when Hungary won the game by 1-0.
Die Mannschaft failed to beat Hungary twice in the last UEFA Nations League in 2022. They lost at home and drew on the road. After Hansi Flick’s exit in September 2023, Nagelsmann has led this German side to seven wins in his first 13 matches.
Predicted lineup
Germany: Ter Stegen; Kimmich, Schlotterbeck, Tah, Mittelstadt; Gross, Pavlovic; Musiala, Wirtz, Fuhrich; Havertz
Hungary: Gulacsi; Botka, Orban, M. Dardai; Bolla, A. Nagy, Schafer, Kerkez; Sallai, Szoboszlai; Varga
When, where, and how to watch the Germany vs Hungary match in India?
The Germany vs Hungary UEFA Nations League 2024/25 match will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network in India. Live streaming of Nations League 2024 will be available on the SonyLIV app and website. The action begins at 12:15 am IST tonight. Other matches scheduled for today include Greece vs Finland, Ukraine vs Albania, and the Netherlands vs Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Germany vs Hungary Match Prediction
Germany are yet to win the Nations League. They have never made it past the group stage in the three editions so far. But this German side seems capable of changing the cards. Nagelsmann has an abundance of top attacking talent available at his disposal and they should be able to kickstart their campaign with a win against Hungary.
Final Scoreline: Germany 2-1 Hungary
Germany will face Hungary in the UEFA Nations League opening fixture tonight at 12:15 am. But before the action kicks off, let’s examine which team has the upper hand over the other. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
