Get ready for the Germany vs. Japan 2024 match.
Germany vs. Japan: Probable Line-ups, Match Stats, and LIVE Blog – 8 Hours Ago
Thomas Müller returns to the international fold as Germany continues its preparations for hosting UEFA Euro 2024 by facing their 2022 FIFA World Cup conquerors, Japan, in Wolfsburg on Saturday (kick-off: 8.45pm CEST).
Key Points:
- Müller rejoins the squad after Niclas Füllkrug, a recent signing for Borussia Dortmund, strained a tendon. He’s set to compete for a place in attack alongside stars like Leroy Sane and Kai Havertz.
- Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, expected to feature despite a thigh injury, withdrew from the squad due to a back complaint.
- Usual club and national team captain Manuel Neuer remains sidelined, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen likely to start in goal. Ilkay Gündogan has been named captain by Hansi Flick in Neuer’s absence.
- Japan, who won their last two friendlies against El Salvador and Peru in the Kirin Cup, will face a stern test against Germany, known for its Bundesliga talent.
- Germany-based players like Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Hiroki Ito (VfB Stuttgart) are expected to form Japan’s back four. Captain Wataru Endo recently left Stuttgart for Liverpool.
- Genki Haraguchi, who played a crucial role in Japan’s victory over Germany at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, was left out of the squad this time.
Match Stats:
- Thomas Müller, with 121 caps, is the most-capped player in the squad and boasts 44 goals and 40 assists since his debut in 2010.
- Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim) and former Ingolstadt player Pascal Groß (Brighton) are in line for their debuts.
- Niclas Füllkrug has been Germany’s top scorer in 2023 with four goals and was the joint-top scorer in the Bundesliga last season with 16 goals.
- In the latest FIFA World Ranking, Germany is ranked 15th, five places higher than Japan at 20th. Germany has previously spent 1,148 days at No.1.
- This is only the fourth meeting between the two nations, with one draw and one win for each side in previous encounters.
- Five Japanese players ply their trade in Germany, including Itakura (Gladbach), Ito (Stuttgart), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), and Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Düsseldorf).
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By- Sahiba Suri