Germany will be without both Manuel Neuer and Marco Reus as they gear up for a thorough examination of their 2018 FIFA World Cup credentials when Joachim Löw’s side take on Spain at Düsseldorf’s ESPRIT Arena on Friday (kick-of 20:45 CET / 19:45 GMT / 15:45 ET).
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Reus recently returned to action for Borussia Dortmund but has been omitted here, with Löw eager to ease him back into the fold gently after his eight-month absence through injury. Neuer is nearing a comeback from a broken foot while Mario Götze and Andre Schürrle are among the other high-profile absentees in what is otherwise a strong squad for Die Mannschaft’s upcoming friendlies against La Furia Roja and Brazil. Mario Gomez, the Bundesliga’s highest-scoring German in 2018, is likely to be handed an opportunity to impress on Friday, but the veteran forward may have to settle for a place on the bench with RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner expected to lead the line. Jonas Hector, meanwhile, is set to make his first international start since September 2017 after missing Germany’s last four games with ankle ligament damage.
Julen Lopetegui has named Thiago Alcantara in his 24-man selection, but the Bayern Munich midfielder is a major doubt after suffering a foot injury in the Bundesliga leaders’ UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg victory against Besiktas. Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa has been recalled for the first time since June 2016, but Alvaro Morata, Cesc Fabregas, Juan Mata and former Dortmund defender Marc Bartra have all been left out.
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Probable line-ups
Germany: ter Stegen - Kimmich, Hummels, Süle, Hector - Khedira, Kroos - Müller (c), Özil, Sane - Werner
Absentees: Neuer (foot) [not selected: Reus, Götze, Schürrle]
Coach: Joachim Löw
Spain: De Gea - Nacho, Pique, Ramos (c), Alba - Isco, Saul, Iniesta - Silva, Asensio - Costa
Absentees: N/A [not selected: Morata, Sergi, Pedro, Mata, Fabregas, Bartra, Moreno, Martinez, Illarramendi]
Coach: Julen Lopetegui
Match stats
Löw’s side, who sit in first place in the FIFA World Rankings, are currently on a 21-match unbeaten run.They won all ten games in reaching the 2018 FIFA World Cup, becoming only the second team after Spain in 2010 to achieve a 100 per cent qualifying record.Germany scored 43 goals in total, breaking the record for the most goals scored in a tournament qualification campaign (set by Spain ahead of UEFA EURO 2000).Bayern right-back Joshua Kimmich set up more goals than any other player during European qualifying (nine).They last faced each other competitively in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup, Carles Puyol’s second-half goal earning the eventual tournament winners a 1-0 victory.Die Mannschaft boast the better head-to-head record, winning nine of their 22 games against Spain (6D, 7L). Toni Kroos scored the only goal of the game in the teams' most recent encounter in November 2014.
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Source: bundesliga.com