Fresh from recording the biggest-ever victory in the history of the men's UEFA Nations League, League A Group 3 winners Germany conclude the first phase away to Hungary on Tuesday evening.
Julian Nagelsmann's side wrapped up a first-placed finish in the group with a 7-0 obliteration of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday, while the Magyars will rank third thanks to a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of the Netherlands.
Match preview
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In all likelihood, a point against Bosnia-Herzegovina would have been enough for Germany to seal first place in their Nations League group, and Nagelsmann's team had already qualified for the quarter-finals of the competition with two games to spare.
However, the merciless Mannschaft left nothing up to chance in Freiburg, where Florian Wirtz and Tim Kleindienst both struck braces while Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane also got in on the act to write two pieces of history at the Europa-Park Stadion.
As well as subjecting a battered and bruised Bosnia-Herzegovina to their heaviest-ever defeat in senior men's international football, Germany marched to the most emphatic victory that the Nations League has ever seen, and one would not have put it past Die Mannschaft to have netted more in Saturday's slaughter.
The upshot of the weekend's win is that Germany will be present in the knockout phase of the Nations League for the very first time - they failed to progress to the Finals in each of their first three attempts - and many a marker is being laid down by Nagelsmann's young guns ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The 2014 world champions are now riding high on a three-game winning sequence across all competitions, and they could now triumph in four in a row across all competitions for the first time since March 2022, when now-Barcelona boss Hansi Flick was at the helm.
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As Germany look ahead to competing in the quarter-finals next summer, their Hungarian visitors must compete in a promotion/relegation playoff to salvage their top-tier status, as Saturday's crushing defeat to the Netherlands ensured that they would finish in the bronze medal position.
Following a distressing medical emergency involving coach Adam Szalai - who has since reassured supporters that he is on the mend - Marco Rossi's side conceded two first-half penalties to Cody Gakpo and Wout Weghorst before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners added some gloss to the scoreline.
Thanks to the Germans' pummelling of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Magyars will not be suffering immediate demotion down to League B, but they will have to come up trumps in a two-legged playoff with a League B runner-up next spring to continue in the first tier.
A 2-0 away win over relegated Bosnia-Herzegovina is the only victory that Rossi's men have had to shout about in this year's edition, although they have managed to avoid defeat in both of their home fixtures so far, most recently holding the Netherlands to a creditable 1-1 draw.
However, five goals from five different scorers condemned Hungary to a 5-0 annihilation at the hands of Germany back in September, and having also conquered the Magyars at Euro 2024, Die Mannschaft could now record three straight wins over Tuesday's hosts for the first time in 50 years.
Team News
© Imago
Germany's record-breaking victory on Saturday did not come without sacrifice, as Jonathan Tah picked up a suspension-inducing yellow card, while Joshua Kimmich had to be taken off in the second half with an ankle problem.
Both Kimmich and Nagelsmann have played down the severity of the defender's concern - the former has even expressed a desire to play the final group game - but the Mannschaft manager will surely err on the side of caution with a fit and able Benjamin Henrichs in reserve.
Meanwhile, Tah's spot in the heart of defence should be filled by Nico Schlotterbeck, returning from a suspension of his own, while Sane, Serge Gnabry, Felix Nmecha and Alexander Nubel should also benefit from some inevitable rotation.
Similarly, Hungary will welcome one of their own key defensive cogs - 61-cap Attila Fiola - back from a yellow-card ban for the final group game, and Rossi's side suffered no fresh fitness blows in their drubbing at the hands of the Dutch.
Fiola's return could see Parma youngster Botond Balogh drop out of the backline, while Endre Botka and Bendeguz Bolla are scrapping it out to potentially replace Loic Nego in the right wing-back slot.
However, Zsolt Nagy should reprise his role on the opposite side, as in-demand Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez had to pull out of the squad due to a knee injury.
Hungary possible starting lineup:
Dibusz; Fiola, Orban, Dardai; Bolla, A. Nagy, Schafer, Z. Nagy; Szoboszlai, Csoboth; Varga
Germany possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Henrichs, Koch, Schlotterbeck, Gosens; Andrich, Nmecha; Gnabry, Brandt, Sane; Kleindienst
We say: Hungary 0-2 Germany
Even if the Dutch did carve the Hungarians open at will on Saturday, the Magyars' defence should provide a sterner test to the Germans than Bosnia-Herzegovina's backline did, especially if Nagelsmann sees fit to make numerous alterations.
However, even a second-string Germany outfit - who would still boast a menacing-looking attack - should comfortably sweep aside opponents who also have nothing to play for.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
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