Germany will welcome Bosnia-Herzegovina to the Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg for this match-day five clash in the UEFA Nations League. The Germans are heavy favourites to take all three points against a team that has just one point from their previous four games in the competition.
As of the time of writing, Germany has 10 points from four games (W3 D1) and they sit in the top spot. On the other hand, Bosnia has a solitary point (D1 L3) from the same number of matches.
Last summer in the home European Championships, Germany was sent packing in the quarter-final stage by eventual champions Spain and they are currently putting that disappointment behind them with a focus on the Euro Nations League and the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers. When the Nations League got underway, a vengeful Germany was devastating as they handed a 5-0 whitewash to Hungary in their opening game, with five different names on the scoresheet.
In the second group game, it was a mouthwatering clash with Euro 2024 semifinalists Netherlands. Die Mannschaft was on the verge of maintaining their 100% start in Amsterdam when Denis Undav and Joshua Kimmich cancelled out Tijjani Reijnders’s early opener, only for Inter Milan’s flying wing-back Denzel Dumfries to snatch a draw for the hosts. Germany then returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Bosnians in Polje. Denis Undav scored twice in the first half before Edin Dzeko halved the deficit midway through the second half. However, the Germans held on to claim their second win in the competition. It was time for the second leg of the clash of titans with the Netherlands and the Germans prevailed. Jamie Leweling scored the contest’s only goal to help put some distance between his side, the Dutch team, and the other group members.
As for the Bosnians, it has been a rough patch for them. They have been moving from League B to League A ever since the Nations League got underway. Bosnia already looks set to finish last which will lead to an automatic demotion back down to the second tier. They are yet to win and their chances of staging an incredible comeback in this November window are quite slim.
The Dragons’ current fourth-placed ranking would not be enough to give them the safety net of a relegation/promotion playoff, but Sergej Barbarez’s one-point side is facing a big task right here. They have not won a game in all competitions since 2023, and that record does not look like one that will come to an end in Freiburg. Against the Netherlands on the opening matchday, Bosnia shipped five but scored twice in a 5-2 defeat, before a goalless draw at Hugary got them their first point of the campaign. Back-to-back defeats to Germany and Hungary have now seen them fall behind in the race for qualification. By the way, that 0-0 ended a horrendous run of seven straight defeats for the Dragons.
Germany has won both of their games at home in this league this term. Die Mannschaft have scored seven goals and they are yet to concede at home. It goes to show how solid they have been defensively with the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Joshua Kimmich at the heart of things.
It is just the fourth meeting between the two nations and this particular one has a lot of bearing consequences. Germany will seal the top spot and a place in the next stage of the competition with a win, while a defeat will condemn the Bosnians to instant relegation.
Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina have met only 3 times. Among them, Germany has won two games, Bosnia-Herzegovina has not won against the Germans yet, and one game has produced a stalemate.
The epic match at Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg will kick off at 19:45 GMT on Saturday, November 16th, 2024.
The 34,700-capacity stadium will host this clash between the group leaders and the bottom of the group occupants.
Getting Germany vs Bosnia-Herzegovina tickets could take a lot of work given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
The Germans will book their spot in the next stage of the league with a win here. With that in mind, Julian Nagelsmann’s side might witness heavy rotation. With some fringe players getting the nod to start in this home fixture. Regardless of the changes or the new introductions, it is expected that the team will be good enough to get the job done.
Germany XI: Oliver Baumann; Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rudiger, Nico Chlotterbeck, Maximilian Mittelstadt; Aleksander Pavloviv, Angelo Stiller, Jamie Leweling, Florian Wirtz, Serge Gnabry; Tim Kleindienst.
As for Bosnia, Sergej Barbarez still has ageless striker Edin Dzeko, who is still playing at the age of 38 for Fenerbahce and has an impressive nine goals in all competitions, to lead the line for the side. Dzeko should be partnered up front by Bundesliga-based forward Ermedin Demirovic, who plies his trade for Stuttgart, while former Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac should keep his place at left-back.
Bosnia-Herzegovina XI: Nikola Vasilij; Jusuf Gazibegovic, Nikola Katic, Ermin Bicakcic, Sead Kolasinac; Benjamin Tahirovic, Armin Gigovic, Dzenis Burnic, Haris Hajradinovic, Esmir Bajraktarevic; Edin Dzeko.
The Germans are overwhelming favourites without any doubt. They have been impressive all through the Nations League campaign and have won three of their four games so far. What more can you say about a team that is prepared to face a side that has not won a game since October 2023?
Meanwhile, Bosnia does have a lot to do if they do not want to be relegated. It is quite simple for them – a win is all they need to keep their hopes alive. Easy to say, but difficult to do. Form, history and all of that do not stand in their favour.
Bosnia have never beaten Germany before and it is not going to happen in Freiburg on Saturday night.
Germany 4-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina
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