So How Gr-eight are Germany?

Germany vs Saudi Arabia

In football parlance, there is only one thing worse than a wounded football team – and that is a wounded Germany!

And with the start of World Cup 2018 just over a week away, no international side wants that.

For the reigning champions will be there or thereabouts again over the next month.

Don’t just take my word for it, let the Sbobet odds tell you or take a closer look at their quality and see for yourself!

Talking points

It may be taking it a bit far to call the world champions a wounded animal based on one defeat in what was only an international friendly.

But it is in the nature of Joachim Low and his players that they will want to bounce back immediately from their 2-1 reverse to Austria last weekend.

Not that Low will lose too much sleep from what was Austria’s first victory over them in 32 years.

For this was a match in which goalkeeper Manuel Neuer returned to action after eight months out with a broken foot.

His return, even if he is not match-fit enough to be included when the Germans start their defence of the competition against Mexico on June 16, will be a massive boost to the squad.

And remember, there is still some other talent to come back into the team that lost to Austria.

After long domestic campaigns, Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos and Bayern Munich duo Thomas Muller and Mats Hummels were rested from the Austria match.

Meanwhile, the likes of Julian Draxler, Timo Werner, Marco Reus and Mario Gomez only got a taste of the action from the substitutes bench.

It’s already been confirmed that Neuer will again captain the side for the contest.

Low, who has now whittled down his squad to 23 players, will want an improved showing against Saudi Arabia in Leverkusen in their final send-off match before Russia.

Saudi Arabia are in Group A and this fixture is also important preparation for their opening match against the hosts next week.

This will be their sixth successive friendly in Europe so the squad is certainly getting used to playing outside of Asia, even if only three of the squad actually ply their trade outside of their home country.

Their men to watch out for will be Mohammad Al Sahlawi, Saudi Arabia’s top scorer in World Cup qualifying with 16 goals, and Nawaf Al-Abed whonetted five goals in nine games.

Al Sahlawi was invited to train with Manchester United in March so will be one to keep an eye on.

Then there’s Fahad Al-Muwallad’s whose stunning strike against Japan last summer was the only goal in the vital play-off match which granted Saudi Arabia’s safe passage to Russia.

The Green Falcons have just lost to another World Cup adversary, Peru, and will not want to suffer another defeat so close to the competition.

Indeed, this week midfielder HattanBahberi called on the players to show their character for manager Juan Antonio Pizzi and the nation.

Saudi Arabia are 67^th in the world rankings and failed to progress beyond the early stages in the last two Asian Cups (2011 and 2015).

They may arrive in Russia this weekend as the lowest ranked side in the competition but their World Cup debut in 1994 proved they should not necessarily be taken lightly.

Germany qualified in style for the tournament and are hoping to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.

Statistics clearly show it is a difficult ambition to achieve.

Yet when you consider that Mario Gotze, who scored the winning goal in the final against Argentina four years ago, has not even made the squad, it’s clear Low has much talent at his disposal.

History

For anyone of a nervous disposition or a Saudi persuasion, please look away now.

I can still remember the 2002 World Cup and the sheer disbelief as the score came in from a group meeting between the two nations.

Such was the one-sidedness of the encounter it seemed cruel.

Yet here were the Germans – who had required a play-off to qualify and were just eight months on from a 5-1 home drubbing in qualification by England – breaking World Cup records and, ultimately, on their way to another final.

That, coupled with a 1998 friendly which the Germans won 3-0, are the only two occasions the nations have previously met.

What are the odds?

The SBOBET Asian Handicap sports betting unsurprisingly favours Germany in a big way – 2.50 @ 1.62, with a shock friendly result meaning Saudi Arabia 1X2 are a whopping 42.00.

Goals are certainly expected considering the odds of total goal 0-1 are priced @ 7.40.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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