Four-time world champions Germany welcome European minnows Liechtenstein to the Volkswagen Arena for their penultimate game in World Cup qualification on Thursday.
Die Mannschaft have already booked their place in Qatar next year, while the visitors – who are rooted to the foot of Group J – have been eliminated.
Match preview
Germany became the first nation to qualify for the World Cup 2022 after cruising to a 4-0 victory away against North Macedonia last month.
After suffering a shock 2-1 home defeat against the Red Lynxes in March, Hansi Flick's side were able to get their revenge in emphatic style, thanks to goals from Timo Werner (2), Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala.
Die Mannschaft have confirmed their place at the top of Group J – sitting eight points clear of Romania in second place – and are one of only three European teams to have accumulated at least 20 points in Qualifying.
Flick, who replaced Joachim Low at the helm in September, has won all five of his games in charge, including a 2-0 win away against Thursday's opponents Liechtenstein in his first match.
Another victory for the Germans is to be expected against the Blues-Reds, who they have beaten in all four previous meetings by an aggregate scoreline of 20-2.
Liechtenstein's search for their first victory in 2021 goes on, after they were convincingly beaten 4-0 away against Iceland in their last qualification match in October.
The Blues-Reds have lost seven of their eight qualifiers for the 2022 tournament, conceding 23 goals in the process, with their only point coming against Armenia when they drew 1-1 in September.
Head coach Martin Stocklasa, who took the reins on January 1, has lost nine of his 10 games in charge, and this miserable form has seen Liechtenstein slip down to 190th in the FIFA world rankings, below the likes of Andorra and Malta. Their lowest-ever ranking in their 88-year history has been 191st in 2017.
The Blues-Reds head into Thursday's game having won only two of their 68 World Cup qualifying matches across a 25-year period. Securing a third victory in Wolfsburg is not expected but if Stocklasa's men can reduce the Germans to just two goals – as they did in their last encounter – or fewer, then he and his players can take some pride from their penultimate qualifier.
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Team News
Germany could be without as many as eight players for Thursday's game who were originally called up to Flick's 27-man squad.
The German Football Federation announced on Tuesday morning that five unidentified players have been forced to self-isolate after one of them has tested positive for coronavirus.
It has been reported that Niklas Sule has tested positive, while Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry and Karim Adeyemi – who all tested negative but are understood to have been in close contact with the player who returned a positive result – are the other four players who have been ordered to self-isolate.
Florian Wirtz and Nico Schlotterbeck have pulled out of the squad this month with muscle injuries, with Ridle Baku, Maximilian Arnold and Kevin Volland all being called up as a result.
In addition, Havertz will miss Thursday's clash as he will serve a one-match suspension following an accumulation of yellow cards.
With Werner not selected due to a thigh injury and with Adeyemi now isolating, Wolfsburg forward Lukas Nmecha could be handed his senior debut up front, after receiving his first call up for the national team.
Ilkay Gundogan, Julian Draxler and Julian Brandt have all returned to the national team set-up this month and will be hoping they can force their way into the first XI.
As for Liechtenstein, Stocklasa is expected to stick with a five-man defence to try and counteract the threat the Germans will pose.
Experienced midfielder Martin Buchel – who has more international caps (89) than any of his teammates in this month's squad – could return to the starting lineup ahead of either Aron Sele or Noah Frommelt.
Striker Dennis Salanovic may also start ahead of Yanik Frick, who is currently a free agent, with Livio Meier operating in the number 10 role just behind.
Germany possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Hofmann, Rudiger, Kehrer, Raum; Gundogan, Goretzka; Draxler, Muller, Sane; Nmecha
Liechtenstein possible starting lineup:
B. Buchel; Wolfinger, Grunenfelder, Malin, Hofer, Goppel; M. Buchel, Sele, Hasler; Meier; Salanovic
We say: Germany 4-0 Liechtenstein
It is fair to say that Hansi Flick's preparations for Thursday's game have been disrupted; however, the Germans still have a plethora of talent among their squad and they should have no problems in securing a comfortable victory.
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