Germany Faces Serbia in Nations League Amid Mixed Ticket Sales and New Lineup Choices

The German national football team, under coach Jürgen Klopp, is hosting Serbia in a Nations League match at Munich's Allianz Arena, marking Klopp's third game in charge. Despite expectations, the stadium is not sold out, with only 60,000 out of 70,000 tickets sold as of Thursday, a rare occurrence for Germany’s home games. Factors impacting attendance include the concurrent Oktoberfest, leading to hotel shortages and increased travel costs, and UEFA sanctions barring Serbian fans from attending.

Germany leads 1-0 at halftime thanks to a goal by Tom Bischof. Klopp has made sweeping changes to the team compared to the previous fixture, fielding two debutants: goalkeeper Jonas Urbig and forward Derry Scherhant, numbered as Germany’s 997th and 998th players respectively. In the absence of regular captain Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry has assumed captaincy duties.

Fans and Klopp share partial agreement on the lineup. A SPORT BILD fan poll matched eight of Klopp’s eleven starting positions and adhered to the 4-2-3-1 formation. Yet, notable differences remain as fans preferred David Raum over Mittelstädt at left-back and selected different wingers. Despite diverging fan opinion, Klopp's choices, including Gnabry’s captaincy, stand firm.

The match is part of a demanding schedule for Germany, with four games in ten days. Fans can watch the game live on ZDF and Joyn. This contest is pivotal for Klopp, who is aiming for his first win as Bundestrainer; a loss would make him the first national coach to lose his opening three matches.