Germanyvs.Greece

The two nations meet for the first time in 12 years when Die Mannschaft claimed a 4-2 victory in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.

Match preview

Since replacing Hansi Flick as head coach in September last year, Julian Nagelsmann has experienced a relatively mixed start to life in the Germany hotseat, winning three, drawing two and losing two of his first seven games in charge.

After ending 2023 in disappointing fashion with back-to-back friendly losses to Turkey and Austria, Die Mannschaft claimed impressive victories over France and the Netherlands in March, before playing out a goalless stalemate in their most recent warm-up match with Ukraine on Monday.

Nagelsmann will have taken positives from his side's dominant showing at Max-Morlock-Stadion, but they ultimately lacked a cutting edge in the final third, firing just five of their 27 shots on target, which is a concern that needs addressing heading into Euro 2024.

Germany will be keen to make a swift return to winning ways on Friday against a Greece outfit whom they have beaten in six of their previous nine meetings, scoring at least twice on all six occasions.

Victory over Greece would set them up nicely ahead their opening Group A fixture of Euro 2024 against Scotland on June 14, before taking on Hungary and Switzerland in their remaining two matches.

Greece are gearing up for their first fixture since March when they were eliminated from Euro 2024 qualifying following a heartbreaking penalty-shootout defeat in a playoff semi-final against Georgia.

The Galanolefki picked up 13 points in their qualification group, with France and the Netherlands the only two nations they failed to beat, but that was no enough to secure a top-two finish, and defeat in the playoffs means the Euro 2004 winners will miss out on a five successive major tournament.

Gus Poyet left his position as Greece boss upon the expiration of his contract just five days after the loss to Georgia and Under-21s coach Nikolaos Papadopoulos has since been placed in interim charge.

The 52-year-old will also oversee next week's friendly against Malta, but he is first focused on steering Greece to their first-ever victory over Germany at the 10th time of asking. The Galanolefki have previously drawn three times with DFB-Team, including a goalless stalemate at Euro 1980, but they have since lost their last three encounters by an aggregate score of 10-4.

Germany form (all competitions):

D

L

L

W

W

D

Greece form (all competitions):

W

L

W

D

W

L

Team News

Germany boss Nagelsmann is able to call upon Toni Kroos, Antonio Rudiger and Niclas Fullkrug and Nico Schlotterbeck who were all absent against Ukraine after being granted extra time off following their involvement in last weekend's Champions League final.

Both Rudiger and Schlotterbeck are in contention to return at the heart of the defence, with Joshua Kimmich and either Maximilian Mittelstadt or David Raum set to occupy the full-back roles.

Kroos, who is retiring after Euro 2024, could return in centre-midfield to start alongside captain Ilkay Gundogan, while Robert Andrich, Pascal Gross and Aleksandar Pavlovic all battle for the remaining midfield spot.

Fullkrug is Germany's top scorer in the Nagelsmann era with four goals from six matches and he could replace Kai Havertz as the central striker, while Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Leroy Sane are among the other attackers hoping to feature in the first XI.

As for Greece, 36-year-old defender Giorgos Tzavellas has retired from international football, while Liverpool left-back Kostas Tsimikas and former Sheffield United right-back George Baldock - who both played against Georgia in March - are notable absentees from the senior squad.

St Pauli's Manolis Saliakas - one of three Greek players who plies his trade at club level in Germany - could start at right-back in Baldock's absence, while Norwich City's Dimitris Giannoulis may replace Tsimikas on the left side of a back four.

After winning the Europa Conference League with Olympiacos last month, Giorgos Masouras is in contention to start in attack and could be joined in the first XI by Fortuna Dusseldorf's Christos Tzolis and Panathinaikos' Fotis Ioannidis.

Germany possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger, Mittelstadt; Kroos, Andrich; Musiala, Gundogan, Wirtz; Fullkrug

Greece possible starting lineup:

Vlachodimos; Saliakas, Chatzidiakos, Mavropanos, Giannoulis; Bakesetas, Kourbelis, Mantalos; Masouras, Ioannidis, Tzolis

We say: Germany 2-0 Greece

After failing to find the net on Monday, Germany will be keen to rediscover their groove in the final third in their last match before kicking off Euro 2024. Boasting a full squad, Nagelsmann may be tempted to tinker with his selection in a few positions, but whichever lineup he selects should be strong enough to come out on top against a Greece side who have both lost and not scored in three of their last four away games.

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