Bosnia-Herzegovina will be aiming for their first win of this UEFA Nations League campaign when they host Germany at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Friday.
The home team started their campaign with a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Netherlands before playing out a 0-0 draw against Hungary. While the Golden Lilies were dominated in both these fixtures, they did showcase a lot of heart to try and get a positive result.
Now, Bosnia are gearing up to face Germany which will be another tough test, although they will be looking to cause an upset. After crashing out in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 2024 at home, Germany smashed Hungry 5-0 in their opening Nations League game. But they were restricted to a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands.
Having dropped points last time out, Julian Nagelsmann’s team will be eager to return to winning ways. They are expected to dominate the proceedings against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and getting the desired result should not be a problem. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Sergej Barbarez will be without the services of Ifet Djakovac, who has withdrawn from the squad. Apart from him, the manager has a fully fit squad to choose from. The home team will go ahead with the 5-2-1-2 formation, where Nikola Vasilj will take charge in goal.
The back three will be made up of Nikola Katic, Ermin Bicakcic, and Sead Kolasinac. Jusuf Gazibegovic and Amar Dedic will be the wing-backs for Bosnia-Herzegovina. The back five will look to keep things tight at the back and in front of them, Benjamin Tahirovic will pair up with Haris Hajradinovic as the double pivot.
Ivan Basic will be the number ten, while Ermedin Demirovic will start alongside veteran ace Eden Dzeko.
Probable Lineup (5-2-1-2): Vasilj; Gazibegovic, Kolasinac, Bicakcic, Katic, Dedic; Tahorivic, Hajradanovic; Basic; Demirovic, Dzeko
Germany
Julian Nagelsmann’s team have seen quite a few withdrawals for this round of fixtures as Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, David Raum, Benjamin Henrichs, and Robin Koch are all unavailable. The uncapped duo of Jamie Leweling and Jonathan Burkardt have been called up alongside Robin Gosens and Kevin Schade.
Manuel Neuer has already called it a day to his international career and with Marc-Andre ter Stegen injured, there will be a debutant in goal for Germany as Oliver Baumann, Alexander Nubel, and Janis Blaswich have never played for Die Mannschaft.
Nagelsmann could go ahead with the 4-4-2 formation, and Oliver Baumann should get the nod in goal. Skipper Joshua Kimmich will be the right-back, while Maximilian Mittelstadt will take charge on the left flank. In the heart of the defence, Jonathan Tah should pair up with Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger.
Florian Writz and Serge Gnabry will line up out wide on the flanks in midfield. They will look to provide width to their attacks, while Robert Andrich should partner with Pascal Gross in the centre of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo of the game. Deniz Undav and Jonathan Burkardt should start up top as the two forwards for the away team.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Baumann; Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger, Mittelstadt; Wirtz, Andrich, Gross, Gnabry; Undav, Burkardt
Key Stats
This is the first official meeting between the two teams. They have met twice before in friendlies with Germany winning one and playing out a draw in the other.
Bosnia have failed to win in their last eight outings across competitions. Seven of those fixtures have ended in defeat.
Germany’s defeat to Spain in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 is their only defeat of this calendar year.
Sergej Barbarez’s team are on a three-match winning streak at home in the Nations League.
Die Mannschaft have not won any of their last five Nations League outings (4 draws, 1 defeat).
Player to Watch
Jonathan Burkardt
Embed from Getty Images
Julian Nagelsmann will most likely hand Jonathan Burkardt his first cap for the German national team in this outing. The 24-year-old striker has made an impressive start to the 2024/25 season with six goals and an assist in his seven outings and he will be eager to mark the occasion with his first goal. Given the kind of form he has been in, it will be hard to bet against him.
Prediction
Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-4 Germany
Germany have been on a dominating run in 2024. Apart from their defeat against Spain, they have dominated most oppositions, and that will most likely be the case in this fixture. While they are in transition, Nagelsmann has got them playing an attacking brand of football and they are expected to dominate the proceedings against Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Hard Tackle predicts a 4-0 win for the away team.
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Publish date : 2024-10-10 07:46:00
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