Preview: Germany vs. Peru - prediction, team news, lineups

Die Mannschaft will also welcome Belgium to their territory in their first games since the World Cup, while their South American counterparts also have a trip to Morocco to look forward to.

Match preview

As hosts of the upcoming European Championships, the competitive pressure is firmly off for Germany as they wait to see which other 23 teams will join them for the continental tournament, and the chance to refresh and recuperate will be welcomed with open arms by Hansi Flick.

Since lifting the glistening World Cup trophy aloft in 2014, two humiliating group-stage exits have come the way of Die Mannschaft, who gleaned just four points from their three games in Qatar against Japan, Costa Rica and Spain.

It was permutations galore during the final matchday in that tightly-fought section, where all four teams were in with a shot of making the knockout rounds, but an enthralling 4-2 win over Costa Rica proved inconsequential for the Germans as Japan and Spain booked their tickets to the last 16.

From winning each of his first eight games in charge of Germany to posting just three victories from his last 11 matches at the helm, Flick's crop have had little to write home about under the former Bayern Munich sextuple-winner, including a third-placed Nations League finish in the 2022-23 edition.

Drawing four games while winning just one against the likes of England, Italy and Hungary, Die Mannschaft can at least proudly shout about a positive record in friendly matches, with Saturday's hosts unbeaten in 12 exhibition games since falling to a 2-1 loss to Austria in 2018.

Enjoying a positive start to life in the Peru dugout since replacing the long-serving Ricardo Gareca, Juan Reynoso travels to Mainz on the back of three wins from his first four games in charge of the Incas, who were defeated 1-0 by Mexico during his maiden match.

Since that narrow loss, Peru have seen off the threat of El Salvador, Paraguay and Bolivia in a spate of friendly wins - prevailing 4-1 against the former before clinching 1-0 successes against their South American colleagues on home soil prior to the World Cup.

Under Gareca, Peru ended their 36-year dry spell with no World Cup football in 2018 - going out in the groups in Russia - and a fifth-placed finish in the CONMEBOL section behind Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador booked the Incas' spot in the inter-confederation playoffs for 2022.

However, Gareca would call it quits after Peru heartbreakingly lost their semi-final to Australia on penalties following a goalless draw, but Reynoso still has veterans aplenty to call upon for daunting trips to German and Moroccan soil.

It will come as little surprise to learn that Germany have won both of their previous showdowns with Peru, who succumbed to a Gerd Muller hat-trick in a 3-1 World Cup loss in 1970 before Julian Brandt and Nico Schulz were on target in a 2-1 friendly triumph in 2018.

Germany friendly form:

Germany form (all competitions):

L

D

W

L

D

W

Peru friendly form:

Peru form (all competitions):

W

L

L

W

W

W

Team News

Flick has already witnessed Bayern Munich protege Jamal Musiala withdraw from the camp through injury, but with the Bundesliga champions taking on Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker on April 1, the Black and Yellows allegedly harbour doubts about the authenticity of his problem.

One injury that is not questionable is Armel Bella-Kotchap's shoulder concern, which has also forced the Southampton defender to withdraw, while none of Manuel Neuer, Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule, Thomas Muller, Ilkay Gundogan or Marco Reus were called up for various reasons.

Out of the six uncapped players to have been summoned, Borussia Dortmund's Marius Wolf may have the best chance of earning his first senior international appearance at right-back, while Joshua Kimmich should captain the side on his 75th Mannschaft appearance.

As for Peru, 96-cap midfielder Christian Cueva and 91-cap defender Christian Ramos are both absent from Reynoso's squad, but the Incas are otherwise set to field a recognisable team from their recent World Cup qualification period.

Cagliari striker Gianluca Lapadula ought to spearhead the charge for the visitors, while Yoshimar Yotun can earn his 119th cap, thereby moving closer to breaking Roberto Palacios's all-time record of 128.

Germany possible starting lineup:

Ter Stegen; Wolf, Ginter, Schlotterbeck, Raum; Kimmich, Goretzka; Gnabry, Havertz, Werner; Fullkrug

Peru possible starting lineup:

Gallese; Advincula, Zambrano, Abram, Trauco; Yotun, Tapia, Aquino; Carrillo, Lapadula, Flores

We say: Germany 2-0 Peru

Proving to be a sturdy if yet unspectacular outfit under the tutelage of Reynoso so far, Peru travel to Mainz with nothing to lose, but the Incas should not spring any surprises this weekend.

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