Following a slew of disappointments spanning many years, Germany is poised to kick off their EURO 2024 journey with a renewed sense of hope. Since Julian Nagelsmann took the helm, the German squad has exhibited glimpses of formidable potential, albeit marred by occasional lapses in performance and execution.
With excuses now a thing of the past, Nagelsmann, who turned down an enticing offer to return to Bayern Munich, shoulders immense pressure in this tournament. If he fails to extract a top-notch performance from his team, one might wonder if anyone else can.
In terms of team updates, Aleksandar Pavlovic’s withdrawal from the EURO 2024 squad due to tonsillitis prompted the inclusion of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Emre Can as his replacement. Barring this alteration, all players initially listed in the Euro squad are fit and primed for action, with Niclas Füllkrug remaining a potential doubt due to a lingering knee issue.
Assuming Füllkrug isn’t immediately available, the coach is expected to stick with the starting XI trialed in the friendlies against Ukraine and Greece. This lineup sees Kai Havertz spearheading the attack, flanked by Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala on the wings. Captain İlkay Gündoğan is positioned just behind the striker, supported by Toni Kroos and Robert Andrich in midfield.
In defense, Maximillian Mittelstädt could emerge as the preferred left-back option, while Joshua Kimmich is poised to occupy the right flank. Antonio Rüdiger and Jonathan Tah are poised to form the center-back pairing for the Euros, with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer guarding the net. This is the potential lineup configuration.
Possible line-ups
Germany: Neuer; Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Mittelstädt; Andrich, Kroos; Musiala, Gündoğan, Wirtz; Havertz
Scotland: Gunn; Porteous, Hendry, Tierney; Ralston, McTominay, McGregor, Robertson; McGinn, Adams, Christie
