The excitement in Germany is already reaching fever pitch ahead of the UEFA European Championships, and those levels of anticipation will go up a further notch as the host nation play the first of two warm-up fixtures. Julian Nagelsmann’s side are among the favourites to win this summer’s tournament, and it is therefore important that they find some early momentum ahead of their opening game against Scotland on June 14.
They certainly have not been in the best of form since the 2022 FIFA World Cup, having won only five of 13 outings since their group-stage elimination in Qatar (D2, L6). Because they qualified automatically for Euro 2024 as hosts, all of those matches have been friendlies, as is this clash with Ukraine, to whom the DFB Team have never lost in nine previous H2Hs (W5, D4), although both previous non-competitive fixtures have ended 3-3.
A draw would most likely be considered a decent result for the visitors, who head to Germany on the back of an impressive five-game unbeaten streak (W4, D1). That sequence includes a play-off victory over Iceland to book their place at this Euros, where the Blue and Yellows will be attempting to at least equal their record-breaking run to the quarter-finals three years ago.
Whether or not Serhiy Rebrov’s men can achieve that ought not to be judged by how they do in this game, especially given their dreadful away record in friendlies. Ukraine, who have lost just one of their last nine competitive outings (W6, D2), have by contrast managed only one victory in their last eight non-competitive internationals on the road (D5, L2), and even that was against lowly Albania back in June 2018.
Players to watch: Several Germany stars are missing due to their involvement in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final, but Leroy Sané is back from a two-match ban and will be looking to improve on a run of just two wins from his last nine friendlies (D2, L5). Ukraine striker Roman Yaremchuk will attempt to put a dent in that record, and he has been on the losing side in only two of the 14 internationals in which he has scored (W8, D4).
Hot stat: Six of Germany’s last seven home friendlies have featured 3+ goals, including a 3-3 draw against Ukraine last year.
