Can Germany win the World Cup after making it out of the group stage for the first time since 2014? The eternal challengers showed enough at times in the group stage to suggest that they could be a threat – but their weaknesses are also visible.
A weakness, in my book, is national team manager Julian Nagelsmann, who is a classic coach broiler.
Read: Everton chase ‘monster’ striker from Premier League rival
The first obstacle on the road to new glory times is an eight-way final against Paraguay in Boston. The South American team beat Turkey to secure third place – advancing for the first time since the quarter-finals in 2010.
Julian Nagelsmann’s German side looked like tournament heavyweights in their first two games, crushing Curaçao 7-1 and beating Ivory Coast 2-1. However, the loss to Ecuador was a clear reminder of defensive vulnerabilities. The Germans will largely rely on the creative spark of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz to break down a compact opponent.
Paraguay bounced back from a 4-1 defeat to the United States in the opener – with defensive masterclass, a 1-0 win over Turkey and a 0-0 win against Australia. They will rely largely on their characteristic South American willpower and organization.
Nagelsmann was understandably unhappy that his opponent was clear so late.
“I think you’ll be punished a bit as a group winner. We divided up potential opponents. I watched three or four games and the analysis team did the same. Everyone can imagine that there are better ways to spend Saturday night than working through it.
“It will be a whole night. We want to have large parts of it ready so that we don’t have to make the game plan in great haste on Sunday. We can do it. We are almost all still young in the coaching staff, so we can work through the night if necessary.
Team news for Germany vs Paraguay
Germany have lost Nico Schlotterbeck to a serious ankle injury that ended the tournament for him, but hope that full-back Nathaniel Brown is ready to return. Paraguay’s midfielder Diego Gómez has been suspended, but former Newcastle player Miguel Almirón is back after his own quarantine.
Predicted line-ups
Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer – Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Brown – Nmecha, Pavlović – Sané, Musiala, Wirtz – Havertz
Paraguay (4-4-2): Gill – Cáceres, Alderete, Velázquez, Alonso – Almirón, Galarza, Cubas, Mauricio – Ávalos, Enciso
Germany vs. Paraguay key figures
- If Manuel Neuer starts, he will become Germany’s all-time winningest World Cup player with his 23rd game – ahead of Lothar Matthäus and Miroslav Klose with 22 each.
- Paraguay have yet to score a goal in the knockout stages of the World Cup – and have played five games. It is the longest streak of knockout matches without a goal by any team in the history of the tournament.
- This is Germany’s first knockout match at the World Cup since their 1-0 final victory over Argentina in 2014. They have won eight of their last nine knockout matches, with the exception of a 1-0 loss to Spain in the semi-finals in 2010.
Prediction: Germany 2-0 Paraguay
Germany has its weaknesses, but scoring goals is not one of them – and Paraguay doesn’t seem to be enough of a threat at the other end.
Manchester United confirm serious knee injury during World Cup for midfielder they intended to sell this summer
It will be tougher in the next round for Germany, when they will face the winner of the match between France and Sweden! – A match that will be played on Tuesday evening.
