Levi Rothermund
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Germany host Serbia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday 1 October 2026, and our predicted lineups for this one are shaped almost entirely by how settled both camps have looked in their last couple of outings. Jürgen Klopp’s side and Veljko Paunovic’s Serbia have both fielded strikingly consistent XIs recently, which gives this projection more shape than the fixture might otherwise suggest. Neither team news file forces wholesale changes, so continuity looks like the theme heading into kick-off.
Predicted Germany Line-up
Germany are projected in a 4-2-3-1, which lines up with Jürgen Klopp’s preferred shape rather than any one-off tweak. This is a settled side – 11 of the projected XI started their last match, underlining how little rotation there has been across the sample used here. Jonathan Tah and Nathaniel Brown, both appearing early in the back line, have started every match in the window this projection draws on, making them the closest things to certainties in the XI. Elsewhere the pattern holds fairly evenly, with most of the group carrying starts in both of the matches used.
Germany predicted XI: Alexander Nübel; Jonathan Tah, Nathaniel Brown, Yann Bisseck, Josha Vagnoman; Joshua Kimmich, Felix Nmecha, Kevin Schade, Karim Adeyemi, Bambasé Conté; Younes Ebnoutalib
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 21 | Alexander Nübel | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| D | 4 | Jonathan Tah | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 18 | Nathaniel Brown | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 2 | Yann Bisseck | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| D | 14 | Josha Vagnoman | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 6 | Joshua Kimmich | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 8 | Felix Nmecha | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 9 | Kevin Schade | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 19 | Karim Adeyemi | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 15 | Bambasé Conté | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 23 | Younes Ebnoutalib | 1/2 | 1/2 |
Serbia Predicted Lineup
Serbia’s expected XI also comes out as a 4-2-3-1, matching Veljko Paunovic’s own preferred setup rather than anything forced by circumstance. It, too, reads as a settled side – 10 of the projected XI started their last match, so the changes on show are likely to be marginal at most. Vanja Milinković-Savić and Strahinja Pavlovic, first up in the listing, have started both matches factored into this projection, giving the goalkeeping and central defensive positions a clearer look than most others on the sheet. The rest of the group splits fairly evenly between two-start and one-start players across the sample.
Serbia predicted XI: Vanja Milinković-Savić; Strahinja Pavlovic, Nemanja Gudelj, Srdjan Babic, Aleksa Terzić; Andrija Živković, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Aleksandar Stankovic, Saša Lukić, Nemanja Maksimović; Dejan Joveljić
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 23 | Vanja Milinković-Savić | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 3 | Strahinja Pavlovic | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 6 | Nemanja Gudelj | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| D | 15 | Srdjan Babic | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| D | 17 | Aleksa Terzić | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 14 | Andrija Živković | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 20 | Sergej Milinković-Savić | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 7 | Aleksandar Stankovic | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 22 | Saša Lukić | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 5 | Nemanja Maksimović | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 9 | Dejan Joveljić | 1/2 | 1/2 |
Team News and Confirmed Absentees
Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala are out injured, which thins both the forward line and the attacking midfield options Klopp can call on for this one. With Musiala’s central midfield starts unavailable, Nadiem Amiri looks like the bench option best placed to step into that area of the pitch if a change is needed.
| Player | Pos | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kai Havertz | F | injured | Muscle bruise |
| Jamal Musiala | M | injured | Torn muscle fiber |
For Serbia, no absentees are recorded in the data, so Paunovic’s selection headache is limited to fine margins rather than enforced changes. Should any adjustment be needed, Dušan Tadić and Filip Kostić stand out among the bench options with recent starts of their own to draw on.
Where These Predictions Come From
Each predicted lineup here is built from the last two available line-ups for that side, with the most recent match weighted more heavily than the one before it. Anyone confirmed injured or suspended has been removed from contention before the XI is assembled. Because only two matches were available for both Germany and Serbia, this projection should be treated as tentative rather than a confirmed team sheet, and it can and will change once the official line-ups are named.
Read also: Germany vs Serbia Prediction: 01.10.2026 UEFA Nations League
FAQ
Who is predicted to start in goal for Germany vs Serbia?
Alexander Nübel is projected in goal for Germany, while Vanja Milinković-Savić is expected to start for Serbia.
What formation are Germany and Serbia expected to line up in?
Both sides are projected in a 4-2-3-1, matching the preferred setups of Jürgen Klopp and Veljko Paunovic respectively.
Who is unavailable for Germany vs Serbia?
Germany are without Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala through injury, while no absentees are recorded for Serbia in the data.
When do Germany play Serbia?
The UEFA Nations League fixture kicks off on Thursday 1 October 2026.