Germany are yet to lose in the Nations League this term, they’ve remained unbeaten across their last eight matches ever since their defeat to Spain in the European Championship. Germany have faced off against Italy, Netherlands and Hungary in this period which shows that Julian Nagelsmann is assembling a side that can go toe to toe with the other top sides around the world.

Portugal have only lost one game in the Nations League this season but face a slightly wider issue of being unable to perform in the moments that matter with Portugal repeatedly falling short on the international stage ever since their 2016 European Championship victory in France. 

Germany have the advantage of being the home side which should have an impact on an already nervous Portuguese side in these tense moments. Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Denmark in the first leg of their quarter final stands out as a performance which would have been exposed by an efficient Germany side - Portugal conceded an xG of 4.76 across the two legs against Denmark in the quarter final.

Bruno Fernandes has recently laid to rest any concerns of him leaving for the Saudi Pro League, and now, he can concentrate on performing for his national team. The 30-year-old has been a consistent presence for Portugal at the highest level.  

In this season's Nations League, Fernandes has taken 21 shots (2.87 per 90) with 10 of these finding the target (1.37 per 90) over seven appearances. These efforts have resulted in two goals for the midfielder, who often plays in a more advanced role for his country, unlike his deeper position at club level under Ruben Amorim.  

During the regular Premier League season, Fernandes averaged 0.86 shots on target per 90 across 36 appearances - a notable figure given his deeper midfield role for much of the campaign.  

Fernandes has a strong track record on the international stage, with 13 goal contributions and an average of 1.28 shots on target per 90 in Portugal’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, highlighting his importance to the team. Portugal have been averaging 5.8 shots on target per game in this season's Nations League.

Bernardo Silva has a tendency of being a bit snappy with his challenges in midfield, he’s averaging 0.57 fouls committed per game in the Nations League this season but we can expect this to increase seeing as Germany will have a lot of bodies in central areas and Portugal have been given the luxury of dominating the majority of their games in the Nations League this season which won’t be the case here.

Portugal are averaging 12.6 fouls committed per game in the Nations League this season, a record that has produced 18 yellow cards in the competition for Roberto Martinez’s side. Portugal committed 21 fouls in their most recent Nations League outing against Denmark, a game in which Silva committed two fouls having contested 14 duels in the game.

His main opponents are likely to be Angelo Stiller (1.57 fouls won per 90) and Florian Wirtz (1.49 fouls won per 90) who have both posted promising foul won numbers in the Bundesliga this season which they can translate to the Nations League. Silva averaged 0.91 fouls committed per 90 across his 33 Premier League appearances during the regular season.

Germany have seen BTTS in each of their last three matches in the Nations League, including both legs of their quarter final against Italy which produced two entertaining games that finished 3-3 and 2-1 to Germany. 

Portugal can’t rely on their defensive stability as it hasn’t really been existent in the Nations League when they have been pressured. They conceded three goals and an xG of 4.76 across their quarter final matches against Denmark which indicates that this Portuguese backline can be exposed. However, Roberto Martinez’s side have enough firepower to combat this defensive instability.

Portugal have scored 18 goals in the Nations League this campaign (2.3 per game) while Germany have notched 23 goals in the competition (2.9 per game) which is more than any other side in the tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s continued presence in the Portugal squad has drawn significant criticism, with many questioning whether a 40 year old should still be a key figure for the national team. While his experience and leadership are undeniably valuable, few expected him to remain the starting striker under Roberto Martinez at this stage of his career. Yet, Ronaldo has defied expectations, proving his worth on the pitch with consistent performances in the Nations League.  

His goal scoring form has been particularly impressive, with six goals in just seven appearances, making him the tournament’s top scorer. Ronaldo’s influence was evident in the quarter final clash against Denmark, where he played the full 90 minutes in both legs and scored in the second match to secure Portugal’s progression. .  

While critics argue that Portugal should prioritise younger talent, Ronaldo’s relentless productivity makes it difficult to justify dropping him. His ability to deliver in crucial moments, combined with his unmatched mentality, ensures he remains a central figure for his country. Whether this will continue into future tournaments remains uncertain, but for now, Ronaldo is still proving he belongs at the highest level.

Andrich can be quite reckless in the middle of the park as the seven yellow cards he picked up across 23 appearances during the season in the Bundesliga would suggest. He’s picked up one yellow card across his five starts in the Nations League this season while averaging 0.64 fouls committed per 90.

This foul record is not reflective of how combative Andrich is in central areas. The reason why it is so low is because Germany haven’t really been tested in some of their earlier Nations League matches, Andrich’s average of 1.63 fouls committed per 90 in the Bundesliga during the regular season is a more accurate reflection of his nature in the middle of the park.

He’ll be up against a really talented midfield of Bruno Fernandes (0.96 fouls won per 90), Vitinha (0.72 fouls won per 90) and Bernardo Silva (0.75 fouls won per 90). This should see Andrich contest plenty of duels and stack up fouls as a result.