Germany U21 are set to host Georgia U21 in Bielefeld for a pivotal U21 European Championship qualifier. Antonio Di Salvo’s side enters the match in formidable form, having secured seven consecutive victories in their qualifying campaign.
Qualification Hopes and Group Standings
The young German side is on the brink of automatic qualification for the U21 European Championship. Following a 3-2 defeat to Greece in Jena, Germany U21 have been dominant, conceding only two goals across their subsequent eight matches. Their impressive run includes a recent 4-1 victory over Malta, where Nicolo Tresoldi netted a hat-trick.
The race for automatic qualification remains tight with Greece. However, Germany U21 hold a crucial advantage: they will finish top of the group if they end on the same points as Greece, thanks to their superior head-to-head record, which includes a 2-0 win in Athens earlier this year. This fixture against Georgia U21 is expected to be Germany’s final competitive match of the year, unless they fail to secure automatic qualification.
Team News and Key Players
Germany U21 will be without Noahkai Banks, who is absent due to an injury sustained on his debut in Malta. Manager Antonio Di Salvo has shown a willingness to rotate his squad, having started 19 different players across the first two games of this international break. Only the attacking trio of Dženan Pejčinović, Nicolo Tresoldi, and Paris Brunner featured in both starting lineups, making the final selection for the Georgia match somewhat unpredictable.
Nicolo Tresoldi is a player to watch, having already scored 10 goals in the qualifying campaign. The forward, who also scored against Georgia in Tbilisi in their previous encounter, is a strong contender to finish as the top scorer in the qualifiers.
Several players made their Germany U21 debuts during this international break, including Paris Brunner, Noah Darvich, Francis Onyeka, Max Weiß, and Wael Mohya, indicating a blend of experience and new talent in the squad.
Georgia U21’s Campaign
Georgia U21 have had a challenging qualifying campaign. Their last home game saw them suffer a 3-0 defeat to Greece, followed by a 1-1 draw against Northern Ireland in Ballymena. Their only two victories in the group stage came against Malta, who are yet to register a point in the competition.
Predicted Lineups
Based on recent reports, the predicted starting lineups are:
- Germany U21: Backhaus; Rothe, Quarshie, Gechter, Baum; Aseko, Kemlein, Darvich; Ibrahimovic, Tresoldi (C), Brunner
- Georgia U21: Kavlashvili; Basiladze, Narimanidze (C), Amisulashvili, Bukia, Tsetskhladze; Dadiani, Lordkipanidze, Japaridze; Salia, Doltmurziev