Germany enters its meeting with Serbia in a cloud of uncertainty, with Jürgen Klopp having only recently taken over in July and still looking for his first real turnaround moment. The Germans have not won in their last four matches, and that run has made the visit from Serbia an early test of whether Klopp can steady the side quickly.
The setup is straightforward: Germany needs a cleaner performance, Serbia needs a response of its own, and both teams arrive with questions. Germany drew 1-1 with Países Bajos and lost 0-1 to Grecia before facing Serbia, while Serbia came in after a 1-2 home loss to Grecia and another 1-2 defeat at home to Países Bajos. Serbia also beat Arabia Saudita 2-1 in March, but overall the form remains uneven.
Klopp's first major checkpoint
Klopp was announced as Germany's new national team coach in July, and his reputation is a big reason this match feels important even before kickoff. He arrives with a track record of changing the tone around a team, and Germany will be hoping that experience starts to show against an opponent it knows well enough to respect.
The recent history between the sides adds another layer. Germany and Serbia last met in 2019, when they drew 1-1 in a friendly in Germany. Their only official meeting came at the Mundial 2010, when Serbia beat Germany. That history is not the main storyline here, but it does underline that this is not a simple tune-up for either side.
Players to watch
Two names stand out going into the match: Florian Wirtz for Germany and Milinkovic-Savic for Serbia. Germany will need more from Wirtz if it wants to break out of its current slump, while Serbia will look for Milinkovic-Savic to help bring some balance to a side that has also struggled for results.
Germany and Serbia both arrive with pressure, but the spotlight is especially bright on Klopp. Four winless matches is not a crisis on its own, but it is enough to make this an early measuring stick for a coach expected to reverse the mood quickly. If Germany can take a step forward here, the narrative around Klopp's start will change fast. If not, the doubts will only grow louder.
