Jurgen Klopp hasn't had the dream start with Germany, and relegation from League A remains possible if they fail to win their last two matches. Serbia are in a slump, but away matches at Stadion Rajko Mitic shouldn't be underestimated, despite the gap in class.
Since taking the national team job, Klopp has attempted to inject his trademark high intensity into the squad.
However, adapting his demanding, high-pressing tactical philosophy to the limited training windows of international football has proven to be a turbulent process.
Currently sitting third in the group behind the Netherlands and Greece, Germany have looked scintillating in patches but uncharacteristically disjointed in others.
A failure to advance from this group would be a significant early blow to the Klopp era, making this trip to the Balkans a massive pressure test for the former Liverpool boss.
They will be missing Serge Gnabry due to a hamstring issue, but with the likes of Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz available, Germany possess more than enough firepower.
Serbia, meanwhile, have endured a disastrous campaign, sitting at the bottom of the group with zero points.
The best the hosts could hope for is a relegation playoff, but to get there, they need to beat Germany and Greece in the last two rounds.
Serbia will have to manage without manager Veljko Paunovic on the touchline due to suspension, while their squad is also heavily depleted.
Sasa Lukic and Nemanja Maksimovic are also out on suspension (yellow cards), while Dusan Vlahovic will not participate for personal reasons.
How the bookies view it: Germany to step further away from relegation
Germany are understandably priced as heavy favourites, typically sitting around 3/10 to claim all three points. A Serbia victory is considered a massive long shot at roughly 15/2, with the draw priced around 21/4.
Recent head-to-head: A routine home win in Munich
Germany and Serbia have limited history between them, with just four fixtures played between 2008 and 2026. Die Nationalelf have a minimal advantage with two wins to one (D1).
Their most recent encounter was last month on Matchday 3 of this Nations League campaign, when Germany secured a comfortable 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Tom Bischof and Florian Wirtz.
Germany controlled an overwhelming 74% of possession in that match and restricted Serbia to just a single shot.
Players to watch: Wirtz will exploit every opening in Serbia’s defence
Florian Wirtz’s output has not been sensational lately, but he will be in high spirits following his performance against Crystal Palace last weekend (G1, A1). He also found the net against Serbia in the reverse fixture.
For the hosts, finding attacking joy will be difficult without Vlahovic, and it is difficult to find a safe-enough option. Dusan Tadic remains the most reliable creative target, but it hardly makes a difference when there’s no one to finish those chances.
Probable line-ups
Serbia: V. Milinkovic-Savic, Sukacev, Erakovic, Babic, Gudelj, Nedeljkovic, Samardzic, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Cvetkovic, Zivkovic, Mitrovic
Germany: Ter Stegen, Brown, Schlotterbeck, Tah, Treu, Kimmich, Nmecha, El Mala, Karl, Wirtz, Havertz
Anything else catch the eye?
Klopp's men absolutely dominated the reverse fixture, and a similar pattern of play is expected in Belgrade, although the hosts are likely to be more confident in front of their home crowd.
Nevertheless, the visitors need a decisive victory, and Serbia's weakened defence should present plenty of opportunities.
Moreover, given the importance of this fixture and the obvious gap in class, I believe there is an argument to bet on cards. Bookmakers expect a clean fixture, but I think Over 1.5 cards for Serbia presents a lot of value.
Serbia vs Germany Betting Tips & Predictions
Further Reading
- Netherlands vs Greece Prediction and Betting Tips – 13/11/2026
- Scotland vs North Macedonia Prediction and Betting Tips – 13/11/2026
- England vs Croatia Prediction and Betting Tips – 12/11/2026
- Italy vs France Prediction and Betting Tips – 12/11/2026
- Czech Republic vs Spain Prediction and Betting Tips – 12/11/2026
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