Jürgen Klopp’s first two games as Germany manager have produced only one point. A 1-1 draw in Amsterdam, then a 1-0 home defeat to Greece on 27 September. Serbia arrive at the Allianz Arena on Thursday 1 October 2026 (kick-off 19:45 BST) with none at all, but Germany are without Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz, and the home side has no obvious answer for who will score. Jürgen Klopp has promised that no player has a guaranteed spot as he rebuilds Germany.
Form & what’s at stake
Germany sit third in Group A2 on one point and a goal difference of -1. Nobody in the group has scored fewer. They led the Netherlands after 32 minutes through Nmecha, then conceded to Gakpo in the 92nd minute. Against Greece they did not score at all, and Dimitris Kourbelis settled it in the 74th minute. Germany have not beaten anyone in this group yet, and over their last five matches they have won one, drawn one and lost three, scoring five and conceding six along the way.
Serbia are bottom with no points and a goal difference of -2. They lost 2-1 to Greece on 24 September, then 2-1 to the Netherlands on 27 September. Their last five games show one win and four defeats, with 13 goals conceded, according to Goal, and that record is the reason nobody expects them to survive an hour of pressure in Munich. Thirteen conceded in five.
For Germany, this is close to a must-win. Fail to beat the group’s bottom side at home and the pressure on Klopp stops being a story about a new manager settling in and becomes a story about a team that cannot score. Both sides play again on Sunday 4 October: Germany travel to Greece, and Serbia visit the Netherlands.
Team news & injuries
Musiala withdrew from the squad before the Netherlands game and has not recovered, while Havertz is ruled out with a suspected hamstring injury picked up in Amsterdam. Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Burkardt have been called up as cover. The attack is thin. Joshua Kimmich is not in the squad for either of Germany’s October games.
Serbia have no confirmed injury or suspension problems, and coach Veljko Paunović has used a consistent XI so far and is expected to stay with it. No surprises there.
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Predicted line-ups
Germany: No confirmed XI was available at the time of writing. With Musiala and Havertz out, Wirtz is the obvious player to carry the creative load, and Burkardt could lead the line. Klopp will want a high press at home against a side that has shipped 13 goals in five.
Serbia: Paunović keeps the shape that has cost him two 2-1 defeats. Expect a compact block, Milinković-Savić behind it, and a plan built on set-pieces and Lukić’s ball-winning.
The key battle
Wirtz against Serbia’s midfield screen. Germany have scored once in 180 minutes, and that goal came from a first-half move in Amsterdam. Serbia will sit deep and invite Germany to break them down. Wirtz has the passing range to do it, but Serbia have shown they can defend for long spells and still lose only late, so patience matters more than speed, and a home crowd that turns anxious after 30 goalless minutes would help nobody.
Prediction & tip
Serbia have lost both matches by a single goal and have scored once in each, which makes them a lower-scoring proposition than their 13 conceded in five games suggests. Germany, at home and with a new manager who needs a win and a home crowd that wants to see one, should score first and control the game; once they lead, Serbia have not shown the attack to come back.
Tip: Germany win + over 1.5 goals. Predicted score: Germany 2-0 Serbia.
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