Key events
Five minutes before it all kicks off.
Here are some quick stats and facts:
Greece v Germany
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Greece’s 1-0 win in the reverse fixture was their first victory over Germany in 11 meetings. Dimitris Kourbelis scored the only goal.
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Greece lead the group on seven points from three games; Germany are third on four.
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Germany arrive after a 2-0 win over Serbia, their first victory under Jürgen Klopp.
Netherlands v Serbia
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The Netherlands won 2-1 in Belgrade last month, with Mexx Meerdink scoring twice, including the winner.
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Meerdink’s brace came on his first international start, in only his second senior appearance for the Netherlands.
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Serbia have lost all three group games so far, while the Netherlands are unbeaten after a win and two draws.
Portugal v Norway
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Portugal have won all three group games and lead Group A4 on nine points.
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The sides have already met once in this Nations League: Portugal won 2-1 in Oslo, with João Félix and Gonçalo Ramos scoring.
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Norway’s Erling Haaland has scored three goals in the group so far.
Wales v Denmark
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Denmark beat Wales 2-0 in Copenhagen last month, with Ben Davies turning in Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross before Gustav Isaksen scored.
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Wales bounced back with a 2-1 win over Norway on Thursday, their first victory of the group campaign.
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Denmark have won eight of the teams’ 12 meetings, with Wales winning four; they have never drawn.
Republic of Ireland v Israel
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Ireland won the first meeting 3-0 last week, scoring all three goals in the first 25 minutes.
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Troy Parrott has scored three times across Ireland’s last two games: once against Israel, then twice against Austria.
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The match is being played behind closed doors at a neutral venue in Bačka Topola, Serbia, after being moved from Dublin.
Ronaldo may have thrown his toys out the cot and stormed off in a huff, but he remains the greatest player his country has ever produced.
Bruno Fernandes says the tantrum doesn’t dilute big Ron’s legacy:
Our first correspondence of the evening is an important caveat from Colm Dowling:
The 2 “journalists” who asked the Irish manager these questions are reported to have been barred by UEFA from the post match press conference by the Irish independent and it would seem one was not happy and came down from the press box to confront the UEFA official.
Yes. For the record, the questions those people asked were reprehensible and didn’t deserve a response from the Ireland players or manager.
Three games have already concluded from the Nations League today.
They are:
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Azerbaijan 1-0 Lithuania
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Kosovo 1-1 Austria
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Malta 1-0 Andorra
Not exactly leaping off the page, are they?
Of course, football has played second fiddle in the narrative around the Ireland v Israel game.
Yesterday, a truly remarkable press conference was cut short when one Israeli journalist questioned Ireland’s coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson, on his thoughts around the attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight from the UAE to Israel.
Another Israeli journalist then accused Ireland’s players or calling the Israeli players “monkeys” during their last meeting. An FAI official repeatedly insisted that the claim was “completely untrue” before the microphone was taken away from the reporter.
It’s all nasty business and, as I’ve said before, should probably not be happening.
This game will, I’m certain of it, be a spicy one.
Team news: Republic of Ireland v Israel
A week after beating Israel 3-0, Ireland meet them again in a match that has been moved to Serbia and will be played behind closed doors.
Troy Parrott and Adam Idah both start, with Jack Moylan behind them. Ireland captain Dara O’Shea is absent after the birth of his child.
Republic of Ireland 3-5-1-1: Caoimhín Kelleher; Jake O’Brien, Jimmy Dunne, Liam Scales; Ryan Manning, Jayson Molumby, Conor Coventry, Jack Moylan, Jason Knight; Adam Idah; Troy Parrott.
Replacements: Max O’Leary, Josh Keeley, Liam Kitching, Joel Bagan, John Egan, Mohammed “Bosun” Lawal, Finn Azaz, Rocco Vata, Killian Phillips, Thomas Cannon, Owen Elding, Chiedozie Ogbene.
Israel make changes of their own, with Assaf Tzur in goal and Dor Turgeman leading the attack. Manor Solomon and Oscar Gloukh are among the attacking options on the bench.
Israel 4-3-2-1: Assaf Tzur; Ilay Feingold, Nikita Stoinov, Idan Nachmias, Roy Revivo; Dor Peretz, Ethane Azoulay, Eliel Peretz; Liel Abada, Oscar Gloukh; Dor Turgeman.
Replacements: Niv Eliasi, Omri Glazer, Eli Dasa, Raz Shlomo, Guy Mizrahi, Omri Gandelman, Manor Solomon, Yarin Levi, Gabi Kanichowsky, Yarden Shua, Tai Baribo, Saied Abu Farchi.
Team news: Netherlands v Serbia
The Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 in Belgrade last month, but the hosts had to work for it: Mexx Meerdink scored twice, the winner arriving late.
Xavi’s side make changes again, with Noa Lang and Teun Koopmeiners starting.
Netherlands 4-3-3: Bart Verbruggen; Denzel Dumfries, Virgil van Dijk (c), Teun Koopmeiners, Micky van de Ven; Ryan Gravenberch, Joey Veerman, Tijjani Reijnders; Crysencio Summerville, Mexx Meerdink, Noa Lang.
Replacements: Robin Roefs, Mark Flekken, Jeremie Frimpong, Jorrel Hato, Nathan Aké, Jurriën Timber, Quinten Timber, Guus Til, Kenneth Taylor, Gjivai Zechiël, Joshua Zirkzee, Ruben van Bommel.
Serbia are still chasing their first points and are hoping the return of 37-year-old Dušan Tadić could inspire an uptick in the team’s fortunes.
Serbia 4-4-2: Vanja Milinković-Savić; Kosta Nedeljković, Srđan Babić, Strahinja Pavlović, Aleksa Terzić; Nemanja Gudelj, Saša Lukić, Aleksandar Stanković, Lazar Samardžić; Mihajlo Cvetković, Dušan Tadić.
Replacements: Djordje Petrović, Filip Stanković, Ognjen Mimović, Filip Kostić, Nikola Simić, Strahinja Eraković, Nemanja Maksimović, Stefan Džodić, Vasilije Kostov, Luka Jović, Dejan Joveljić, Andrija Živković.
Team news: Greece v Germany
Greece have already made history against Germany this Nations League, claiming their first win over them in the reverse fixture.
Now they’re back in Thessaloniki, with a chance to strengthen their grip on a group they surprisingly lead.
Greece 4-4-2: Kostas Tzolakis; Manolis Saliakas, Ntinos Mavropanos, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Kostas Tsimikas; Giorgos Masouras, Dimitris Kourbelis, Christos Zafeiris, Alexandros Kyziridis; Vangelis Pavlidis, Fotis Ioannidis.
Replacements: Odysseas Vlachodimos, Christos Mandas, Triantafyllos Tsapras, Panagiotis Retsos, Giannis Michailidis, Giorgos Kyriakopoulos, Dimitris Pelkas, Thanasis Androutsos, Christos Mouzakitis, Charalampos Kostoulas, Tasos Douvikas, Konstantinos Karetsas.
Jürgen Klopp’s Germany arrive buoyed by their first win under him, but the young side face a tougher test in a raucous Toumba Stadium with 18-year-old Lennart Karl starting for the first time.
Florian Wirtz captains a side with an average age of barely 24. Jonas Urbig keeps his place in goal, with David Raum coming in at left-back.
Germany 4-2-3-1: Jonas Urbig; Philipp Treu, Malick Thiaw, Waldemar Anton, David Raum; Aleksandar Pavlović, Tom Bischof; Lennart Karl, Florian Wirtz (c), Derry Scherhant; Jonathan Burkardt.
Replacements: Finn Dahmen, Noah Atubolu, Finn Jeltsch, Ridle Baku, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Yannik Engelhardt, Said El Mala, Mika Baur, Bambasé Conté, Felix Keidel, Vitaly Janelt, Nick Woltemade
Team news: Portugal v Norway
Is this a new dawn for Portuguese football?
For the first time since he burst onto the scene 22 years ago, a fit Cristiano Ronaldo is not part of his nation’s squad.
That means Manchester United’s skipper, Bruno Fernandes takes the armband. Maybe we’ll see all 10 outfield players do more than jog?
Portugal 4-1-3-2: Diogo Costa; João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; João Palhinha; Francisco Conceição, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes; João Félix, Gonçalo Ramos.
Replacements: Rui Silva, Samuel Soares, Diogo Dalot, Tomás Araújo, Nuno Tavares, João Neves, Rúben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leão, Francisco Trincão, Pedro Neto, Fábio Silva.
Norway can at least rely on their superstar upfront, but will Elring Haaland be thinking about the troubles facing his club?
Norway 4-3-3: Ørjan Nyland; Marcus Pedersen, Kristoffer Ajer, Leo Østigård, David Møller Wolfe; Sander Berge, Patrick Berg, Martin Ødegaard; Oscar Bobb, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa.
Replacements: Sander Tangvik, Egil Selvik, Fredrik Sjøvold, Sondre Langås, Fredrik Aursnes, Thelo Aasgaard, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Ole Didrik Blomberg, Kristian Thorstvedt, Andreas Schjelderup, Erik Botheim, Odin Bjørtuft.
Team news: Wales v Denmark
Three changes for Wales from the side that lost 2-0 to Denmark last month.
Neco Williams, Ben Cabango and Kieffer Moore come into Craig Bellamy’s starting XI. Moore leads the attack, with Brennan Johnson and Sorba Thomas offering support from the flanks.
Wales 4-2-3-1: Danny Ward; Neco Williams, Ben Cabango, Ben Davies (c), Jay Dasilva; Ethan Ampadu, Jordan James; Sorba Thomas, Liam Cullen, Brennan Johnson; Lewis Koumas.
Replacements: David Cornell, Tom King, Chris Mepham, Connor Roberts, Jayden Lienou, Cian Ashford, Daniel James, Joshua Sheehan, Joel Colwill, Wes Burns, Kieffer Moore, Mark Harris.
Denmark 4-3-3: Mads Hermansen; Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Mæhle; Victor Froholdt, Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg; Gustav Isaksen, Rasmus Højlund, Andreas Skov Olsen.
Replacements: Andreas Jungdal, Filip Jørgensen, Lucas Høgsberg, Victor Nelsson, Anton Gaaei, Thomas Jørgensen, Mads Bidstrup, Mohamed Daramy, Mathias Kvistgaarden, Adam Daghim, Kasper Høgh.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
In a normal world, a jumped-up friendly – sorry Nations League diehards – between the teams placed 54th and 77th on Fifa’s rankings wouldn’t be worth a fuss.
But in this world, where bombs fall on hospitals and children starve to death, the meeting of the Republic of Ireland and Israel carries a significance beyond the trite confines of a football match.
What can we say about it that hasn’t already been said? Should it even be happening? Do athletes have a moral obligation to take a stand when their country’s politicians have done little to protect them? Is a footballer tethered to war crimes committed in their name? Or is it possible to set aside mass graves and human rights abuses for a moment and wonder how Dinamo București’s Nikita Stoinov will handle Troy Parrott’s runs?
Football can be an escape from the madness, but sometimes it shines a light on it. To lean into another cliché, this afternoon it will be a bit of both.
There are other tasty games, too. A Ronaldo-less Portugal begin a new era, while Wales have the chance to strut their stuff in front of their home fans. Perhaps those matches will provide enough narrative to avoid difficult conversations elsewhere.
7:45 pm kick-offs:
Do write in with any thoughts, gargantuan or minute. I’ll read every email that comes my way and do my best to keep the chat civil.
