Hungary looks forward to hosting Germany on the last matchday of the UEFA Nations League. Where the Germans have been enjoying their recent streak of winning games, Hungary has been struggling to get back to their standards. The stage is set at the Puskas Arena in Budapest where these elites will battle it out. Germany will be comfortable with the qualification already secured and on the contrary, Hungary cannot advance if they win.
Match Details
Match: Hungary vs Germany
Stadium: Puskas Arena
Date & Time: Nov 19, 2024 at 7.45 pm UK
Hungary vs Germany: Preview
Germany needed just a point against Bosnia-Herzegovina to secure the top spot in their Nations League group, having already qualified for the quarterfinals with two matches to spare. However, Julian Nagelsmann’s side left no room for doubt in Freiburg, delivering a record-breaking performance that etched their names into the history books.
Florian Wirtz and Tim Kleindienst each scored twice, while Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, and Leroy Sané also found the net in a stunning display at the Europa-Park Stadion. Not only did Germany hand Bosnia-Herzegovina’s their largest-ever defeat in senior men’s international football, but they also achieved the most emphatic victory in Nations League history. Given the dominance on show, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the Mannschaft had added even more goals to the tally.
While Germany can look ahead to the quarterfinals next summer, their Hungarian visitors are fighting to preserve their top-tier status. Saturday’s heavy 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands consigned Hungary to a promotion/relegation playoff against a League B runner-up next spring. Despite a distressing medical scare involving Head Coach Ádám Szalai, who has since assured fans of his recover, Hungary was overwhelmed in Amsterdam, conceding two first-half penalties to Cody Gakpo and Wout Weghorst before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners completed the rout.
Hungary vs Germany: Team News
Germany’s historic victory on Saturday didn’t come without setbacks. Jonathan Tah will miss the next match after picking up a suspension-inducing yellow card, and Joshua Kimmich had to leave the field in the second half due to an ankle issue. Despite the concern, both Kimmich and Head Coach Julian Nagelsmann have played down the injury’s severity. Kimmich has even expressed a desire to feature in the final group game, but Nagelsmann is likely to err on the side of caution, especially with the dependable Benjamin Henrichs ready to step in.
In Tah’s absence, Nico Schlotterbeck is expected to return to central defense after completing his suspension. Additionally, squad rotation could see Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Felix Nmecha, and goalkeeper Alexander Nübel get starting opportunities.
On the Hungarian side, Marco Rossi will be relieved to have key defender Attila Fiola back after a yellow-card suspension. Hungary emerged from their heavy loss to the Netherlands without any new injuries, which is a silver lining.
Fiola’s return is likely to push Parma’s Botond Balogh out of the backline, while Endre Botka and Bendegúz Bolla are competing for a spot at right wing-back. On the left, Zsolt Nagy should retain his place, particularly with Bournemouth’s rising star Milos Kerkez sidelined due to a knee injury.
Predicted Lineups
Hungary: Dibusz; Fiola, Orbán, Dárdai; Bolla, A. Nagy, Schäfer, Z. Nagy; Szoboszlai, Csoboth; Varga
Germany: Nübel; Henrichs, Koch, Schlotterbeck, Gosens; Andrich, Nmecha; Gnabry, Brandt, Sané; Kleindienst
Conclusion
The match is considered not to be an important one as both the teams know where they stand in a race for a spot in the playoffs of the UEFA Nations League 2024 campaign. Some players, like Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and many more elites, can prove themselves as decisive athletes if they win the match and place their team in the playoffs comfortably.
