Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Germany // Saturday, September 28, 2024 // 20:45 CET // Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica // UEFA Nations League, Group 3, League A, Matchday 3 // Referee: François Letexier // UEFA TV // The Germans aim to maintain their group lead while the Bosnians seek to pull off a surprise in front of their home crowd.
The club football season is set to pause once again, giving way to an international window. A fresh battle will unfold in the Balkans during this Nations League clash, featuring Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany against Savo Milosevic’s Bosnia. The German side is predicted to face a tough test on Balkan soil.
The Bosnian team approaches this third matchday in Group 3 of League A as a challenge. They are set to host the previous Euro 2020 hosts in a game where both teams are heading into it with different momentum. Milosevic’s men managed to secure a draw against Hungary in their last match just over a month ago. With the home advantage and notable players like Edin Dzeko and Demirovic, who is familiar with the Bundesliga, the Bosnians could potentially surprise the Germans on this occasion.
However, the hosts will be without Dedic, who is sidelined due to muscle injuries.
After suffering a disappointing exit in the quarter-finals of the home Euro, for which they had thoroughly prepared, Nagelsmann’s team has found the Nations League to be a valuable opportunity for growth and to regain confidence. In the last international break, the German team secured 4 points by throttling Hungary 5-0 and drawing against the Netherlands. Visiting Bosnia will be a challenging affair for them, yet they aim to impose their individual quality on the match to avoid any surprises. Notable absences include Musiala and Ter Stegen, who was expected to start after Neuer’s injury, but Nagelsmann’s squad shall rise to the challenge nonetheless. Key players such as Kimmich will be pivotal for the Germans.
For the upcoming clash, Nagelsmann will also be missing Henrichs, Raum, and Koch, all ruled out due to injuries.
The only previous encounter between the two national teams took place on June 3, 2010, during a friendly match in preparation for the World Cup that year in South Africa. That match turned out to be very favorable for Germany, who won 3-1 in Frankfurt, with goals from Phillip Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger (twice), while Edin Dzeko netted for the Balkans. “Die Mannschaft” dominated the match, but Dzeko’s early goal had propelled the Balkans ahead, urging the Germans to respond. Ultimately, they did, securing a memorable victory.
The match will be officiated by French referee François Letexier, who has overseen several European fixtures, not only in the Nations League but also in the previous Euro. At club level, he has officiated international competition matches, including the Champions League, and has refereed nearly all levels of football in France. It is noteworthy that he has not officiated a match involving either of the two teams prior to this encounter.
Here are the potential line-ups that both teams may field:
