Luxembourg vs Germany
Germany are two wins away from confirming their place at the World Cup 2026, and they can take another step towards next year’s showpiece event with a winnable match against Luxembourg on Friday at the Luxembourg Stadium.
After dropping their first game against Slovakia last September, Die Mannschaft have been on a roll, stringing together three straight wins. As a result, Germany are on top of Group A with nine points, but are level with second-seeded Slovakia, while Northern Ireland are lurking in third with six points.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg sit at the bottom of the pack with no points to show after the first four matchdays. The Red Lions are already eliminated from World Cup qualifying contention, but they’re out to salvage some pride in the next few matchdays.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side is expected to cruise past their hosts on Friday, and any other result is considered a massive upset for Luxembourg.
Talking Points
Luxembourg are merely playing for pride
After 15 years of service, Luc Holtz was sacked by Luxembourg due to controversy involving Gerson Rodrigues last June. Jeff Strasser eventually replaced Holtz, and the Red Lions have lost their next four games.
During their winless run, Luxembourg have conceded 10 goals against their much bigger neighbours. In their 4-0 loss against Germany last month, Strasser’s men did their best to keep the scoreline down after Dirk Carlson was sent off in the 20th minute. The 27-year-old left-back can return on Friday after serving a one-match ban.
Luxembourg will miss several key players against Germany, as Enes Mahmutovic, Mica Pinto, Yvandro Borges, and Vincent Thill are all unavailable. Mahmutovic’s absence is huge because he’s arguably the Red Lions’ best defender.
Meanwhile, Augsburg’s Aiman Dardari is expected to lead the line after scoring Luxembourg’s lone goal so far in the qualifiers. The 20-year-old winger will be supported by two more Germany-based players: Mathias Olesen of Greuther Furth and Danel Sinani of FC St. Pauli, who have two league goals and two assists combined this term.
Germany are loaded on all fronts
Germany won’t have a full squad against Luxembourg, but they should have the necessary depth to see this through. Some of Die Mannschaft’s notable absentees include Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Nadiem Amiri, Antonio Rudiger, and Niclas Fullkrug. Meanwhile, Nico Schlotterbeck is a major doubt due to a foot injury he sustained during Borussia Dortmund’s 1-1 draw with Hamburger SV last Saturday.
With these absences, Nagelsmann will likely roll with Waldemar Anton, Florian Wirtz, Serge Gnabry, and Karim Adeyemi. Germany also called up new boys, Said El Mala and Assan Ouedraogo, and recalled Leroy Sane. Ridle Baku, Malick Thiaw, Nathaniel Brown, Felix Nmecha, Kevin Schade, Jamie Lewelling, and Jonathan Burkardt are also fighting for spots.
At the end of the day, Die Mannschaft will rely heavily on the leadership of Joshua Kimmich and the production of Nick Woltemade, who scored the marginal goal against Northern Ireland last time out.
History
Julian Nagelsmann only has a modest record of 14 wins from his first 26 matches as the head coach of Germany, so he’ll be keen to add to his total. Friday marks Germany’s 14th competitive meeting with Luxembourg, with Die Mannschaft notching 12 wins and one loss. The Red Lions’ lone victory in this fixture was a 2-1 result during an international friendly in March 1939.
Dating back nearly two years, Luxembourg have waited 11 games to notch a win. The Red Lions managed a 2-1 international friendly victory over Sweden last March, as centre-back Seid Korac scored the matchwinner in the first half. They only have one goal so far in the ongoing qualifiers, as Aiman Dardari found the back of the net during their 3-1 defeat against Northern Ireland last September.
Betting Tip
As expected, the World Cup 2026 odds expect nothing less than a win from Germany on Friday. Germany are 1.066 favourites to win, while Luxembourg are massive 19.00 underdogs, and a draw is at 9.20 in the 1X2 market. With one eye on Monday’s game against Slovakia, Germany will likely build an early unassailable lead before taking it easy in the second half. Germany will likely pour in the goals and World Cup 2026 highlights in the process. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP bettors can also add Over 3.50 at 1.86, Over 3.75 at 2.03, and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.12 to the parlay. Moreover, a Correct Score of 4-0 in favour of the visitors – the result of the reverse fixture – is on offer at 6.70 your bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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