Netherlands vs. Germany: Everything You Need to Know Before the Epic Clash

If the historic rivalry between the Netherlands and Germany required any further elevation, Thursday's Nations League encounter between these storied European footballing nations also marks the debut of Xavi Hernández and Jürgen Klopp as international head coaches.

Both nations were eliminated in the opening World Cup knockout round via penalty shootouts in disappointing fashion. While there is no disgrace in falling to Morocco, Ronald Koeman faced heavy criticism for the seemingly cautious tactics he employed (which were mere seconds from succeeding until Issa Diop's improbable stoppage-time leveler).

Germany's elimination at the feet of Paraguay was considerably more embarrassing. "If we were to conduct a poll in Germany today, the German public won't speak very favorably about me," manager Julian Nagelsmann vented. "We haven't given people much to celebrate in this tournament. I know not everyone in Germany will agree with me remaining in the role." As it turned out, the German football federation shared that sentiment and swiftly appointed Klopp.

Unlike his counterpart in Amsterdam on Thursday evening, Xavi was not his new nation's primary target. Both Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot were out of reach, so the Dutch association turned to Guardiola's most loyal protégé, a man raised on the footballing gospel of the Netherlands' greatest sporting icon, Johan Cruyff.

Both will face pressure to hit the ground running, both in terms of results and the quality of play on display.

Netherlands vs. Germany Score Prediction

Two Newbies Cancel Each Other Out

Every football match carries its own inherent unpredictability, but this particular fixture contains even more layers of intrigue. Xavi and Klopp are not only taking the reins for the first time with these respective squads, but neither has ever previously managed at international level. The rhythm of international football is entirely different, with extended periods apart punctuated by these brief, intensive windows of preparation and competition.

Both managers also happen to be coaches with well-defined footballing philosophies rather than pragmatists who mold their approach to available resources. How quickly these players can adapt to their new managers' demands remains to be seen.

The finest versions of Xavi's Barcelona were actually more defensively solid than he might like to acknowledge—his sole league title was built on 11 victories by a 1–0 margin. For all the flak directed at Koeman over his defensive setup, Dutch technical director and Xavi's superior, Nigel de Jong acknowledged: "Dominant does not always mean playing attacking football; we also want to be dominant defensively. By conceding fewer goals, we want to try to win matches."

Klopp is synonymous with an intense, high-energy style, but his initial priority may well be the most foundational element of his system: pressing without the ball. With both sides potentially playing it safe in this derby, goals could prove hard to come by.

Prediction: Netherlands 0–0 Germany

Netherlands Predicted Lineup vs. Germany

The first major achievement for Xavi was convincing Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk to prolong his international career. It took just "10 seconds" for the 35-year-old to be persuaded.

Mikel Arteta may have required some persuasion to release his Arsenal fullback Jürrien Timber, given the player has only recently returned from a prolonged groin injury. Xavi cautioned that he would need to be "a bit careful" with the defender but confirmed his availability, a status which "applies to everyone."

Xavi has already been forced to do without Roma's remarkably in-form attacker Donyell Malen, who pulled out with an injury that left his new manager unconvinced. "In my opinion, Donyell is fine; I don't know how long his recovery will take, but the injury is not serious."

Netherlands predicted lineup vs. Germany (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Veerman, Gravenberch, Reijnders; Summerville, Brobbey, Gakpo.

Germany Predicted Lineup vs. Netherlands

Klopp has taken the distinctive approach of naming a 44-player squad that has been divided into two groups. This allows the new manager to assess as many players as possible while limiting each individual to just two fixtures—the groups are rotated after Germany face the Netherlands and Greece in the coming days.

Bayern Munich's versatile forward Lennart Karl has been shifted from group one to group two to allow him additional recovery time, while his club teammate Jamal Musiala could well feature from the start despite a recent run of erratic moments during matches.

Germany predicted lineup vs. Netherlands (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Vagnoman, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Kimmich, Stach; Gnabry, Musiala, Schade; Havertz.

What Time Does Netherlands vs. Germany Kick Off?

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