Germany aims to start October positively as they host Serbia at the Allianz Arena on Thursday for their next UEFA Nations League match. Both teams are seeking their first victories after failing to win in their opening two fixtures. Germany's campaign began with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in Jurgen Klopp's inaugural match, which was a respectable start despite conceding a late equalizer. However, their subsequent 1-0 loss to Greece, due to a 74th-minute goal from Dimitris Kourbelis, was disappointing. The German national team is currently without a win in four matches since their last World Cup group-stage game against Ecuador and has not kept a clean sheet in seven consecutive games, stretching back to a friendly against the United States before the World Cup. Once seen as favorites to lead League A, Group 2, Germany now finds itself in a precarious position, sitting third and at risk of relegation playoffs. They trail the Netherlands by three points and Greece by two, making it crucial for them to secure points in this upcoming match, especially with the top two teams facing off against each other. Historically, their encounters with Serbia have been competitive, with each team winning once and one match ending in a draw. Klopp has opted for an unusual strategy by selecting two different squads totaling 44 players for the international break, giving the second group a significant chance to influence Germany's Nations League campaign positively. On the other hand, Serbia is in the midst of a transition under new manager Veljko Paunovic, who is approaching his tenth match in charge after taking over from long-time coach Dragan Stojkovic at the end of his four-year tenure in October 2025.