Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed will take charge of Germany’s World Cup round of 32 fixture against Paraguay on Monday. The 1987-born official, who previously oversaw Germany’s 7-1 group-stage victory over Curacao, has been appointed to manage the knockout encounter.
The match kicks off at 22:30 CEST in Foxborough. Sources differ on the venue name, listing it as either Gillette Stadium or Boston Stadium, though both refer to the same Massachusetts location. The victors will advance to face either France or Sweden in the round of 16.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany side enter the match as Group E winners, having secured their knockout place with victories over Curacao and Ivory Coast before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in their final group outing. Germany director Rudi Völler emphasised the achievement of qualifying early, stating: “Before the tournament, we would have been delighted to qualify for the next round as group winners after only two games. We deserved to achieve exactly that.”
Völler acknowledged the need for improvement as the tournament progresses: “The team and everyone around it know there is still room for improvement. Now is when the World Cup really gets going.”
Paraguay, ranked 41st in the FIFA World Rankings, progressed from Group D with four points after finishing third behind Australia and the United States. Their campaign began with a 4-1 defeat to the USA, but they recovered to beat Turkey 1-0 and sealed progression with a goalless draw against Australia.
Squad Updates
Germany’s defensive options have been depleted after Nico Schlotterbeck was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with an ankle injury. Eintracht Frankfurt left-back Nathaniel Brown is expected to be available, however, having recovered from an adductor problem that kept him out of the Ecuador match.
Paraguay will welcome back Miguel Almirón from suspension, though they will be without Diego Gómez, who is now banned. Defender Omar Alderete remains doubtful due to a knee problem.
Tournament Stakes
With elimination looming for the losers, both sides must navigate the high-pressure environment of knockout football. Jayed’s previous experience at this World Cup includes overseeing Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, suggesting he is familiar with managing intense encounters.
Germany will aim to rediscover the attacking fluency displayed against Curacao while addressing the defensive vulnerabilities exposed by Ecuador. Paraguay, meanwhile, will look to build upon the resilience shown in their clean sheet against Australia as they seek to upset the group winners.