Back on track to reach World Cup 2026, four-time global champions Germany will continue their quest to top Group A on Friday evening, when they visit neighbouring Luxembourg.
Leading on goal difference, Die Nationalelf are set to scrap with Slovakia for automatic qualification, but Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann is still missing several men for this month's finale.
Long-term absentees Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala and Marc-Andre ter Stegen have been joined on the sidelines by Nadiem Amiri, Antonio Rudiger and West Ham United striker Niclas Fullkrug, while key defender Nico Schlotterbeck is a doubt for Friday's game.
Should the latter fail a fitness test, Waldemar Anton and Malick Thiaw would vie to join Jonathan Tah in central defence, with David Raum set to start on the left. Expected to continue in his less favoured role at right-back, captain Joshua Kimmich bagged a brace in the reverse fixture; the Bayern Munich star will be given license to roam, though.
Ahead of hosting Slovakia next Monday, Nagelsmann may make some minor changes to the team that beat Northern Ireland last time out - but he should still field a strong starting XI.
Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade has made the centre-forward role his own - recently scoring the only goal in Belfast - so Jonathan Burkardt might have to be content with a place on the bench.
As Musiala is still absent, Florian Wirtz could keep the faith of his national coach, despite struggling to adapt to English football since leaving Bayer Leverkusen for Liverpool.
Serge Gnabry and Karim Adeyemi are favourites to join that Premier League pair in the final third, but recalled Galatasaray winger Leroy Sane is also a strong contender.
Meanwhile, in midfield, Bayern duo Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlovic are the men in possession: Felix Nmecha is the most likely alternative if Nagelsmann opts to freshen things up.
Germany possible starting lineup: Baumann; Kimmich, Tah, Anton, Raum; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Gnabry, Wirtz, Adeyemi; Woltemade
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