Germany meet Argentina in a rematch of the World Cup final in the top pick of mid-week friendlies before Euro 2016 qualifying gets underway on Sunday.
The Germans will be looking at the past as the Wednesday match brings back memories of their 1-0 extra-time triumph on July 13 in Rio de Janeiro over the South Americans for a fourth global title.
But coach Joachim Loew is also confronted with the future as former captain Philipp Lahm, forward Miroslav Klose and defender Per Mertesacker have ended their international careers.
But midfielder Marco Reus and forward Mario Gomez return to the team after missing the Brazil tournament for injury reasons, as Germany seek a good result before starting Euro 2016 qualifying on Sunday against Scotland.
Loew will unveil his new captain on Tuesday while Roy Hodgson has already appointed Wayne Rooney England captain in succession of Steven Gerrard who has quit international football.
England host Norway on Wednesday while the next day Italy meet World Cup third-placed finishers the Netherlands, and the 2010 champions Spain are at Euro 2016 hosts France.
England, Spain and Italy all seek a fresh start from group stage eliminations at the World Cup.
Other mid-week games include Czech Republic v United States, 2018 World Cup hosts Russia v Azerbaijan, Belgium v Australia and Sweden v Estonia.
Loew has called up 18 players from the World Cup squad for the Argentina date in Dusseldorf where Lahm, Mertesacker and all-time World Cup top scorer Klose will officially be bid farewell. Shkodran Mustafi and Bastian Schweinsteiger are not fit to play.
“It’s challenging and exciting to face Argentina again at home,” Loew said.
“I hugely respect them and they’ll come to Germany very motivated and will give us a good game. We’re at the start of a new season so in sporting terms it’s a welcome acid test that will allow us to compete at the highest level again right away.” Argentina, under new coach Gerardo Martino, will be hoping for a revenge of sorts for their agonizing extra-time loss to Germany two months ago.
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is a doubt after picking up a groin strain on Sunday but Martino, who declined to make changes to the squad selected by predecessor Alejandro Sabella, still has an overwhelming amount of quality to choose from.
Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Ezequiel Lavezzi could form a front trio which would be the envy of coaches across the world.
With Gerrard and Frank Lampard no longer available, Hodgson said in the run—up to the Norway clash that younger players like Jack Wilshere must now take more responsibility on the pitch, helped by the older ones like Rooney.
“We have high hopes of people like Jack, but I don’t think he’ll have to shoulder the responsibility alone — there are others,” said the manager, whose team faces a tough opening Euro qualifier in Switzerland next week.
“This is a new group of players in certain respects, they’ll have to take responsibility now.” New Italy coach Antonio Conte meanwhile has not called up Mario Balotelli, giving a first chance to Sassuolo’s Simone Zaza. The new Liverpool striker Balotelli may have been left out because he did not play much in the pre-season, but, given his unruly character, he may face a hard time meeting the strict discipline expected by Conte.
“Talent on its own will not make you win, unless you are Maradona or Messi” Conte told RaiSport Sunday.
Midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini, and strikers Mattia Destro, Stephan El Shaarawy, Daniel Osvaldo and Sebastian Giovinco, are back, while veteran play-maker Andrea Pirlo is injured for the friendly and September 9 qualifier in Norway.
The Dutch will be without ill or injured Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Arjen Robben and Rafael van der Vaart in Bari and the first qualifier at the Czech Republic next week as Guus Hiddink takes over from Louis van Gaal for a second term as Oranje coach.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque needs to make several changes after Xavi and Xabi Alonso ended their international careers, Javi Martinez and others are injured, and the likes of Fernando Torres not called up after the embarrassing first round exit in Brazil.
Uncapped Dani Carvajal, Raul Garcia, Kiko Casilla, Mikel San Jose and Paco Alcacer will travel to face the World Cup quarterfinalists France in Paris ahead of the September 8 qualifier against Macedonia.
“Our biggest concern was and is to bring ourselves back to our best,” Del Bosque said. “We had a generation that gave us so much success but there is no reason not to start a new generation.”
