Our prediction for this match:
Germany will be aiming to extend their winning run to eight games when they take on Israel in a friendly on Saturday. Hansi Flick’s troops are seen as hot favourites to win the match, but they will have to prove their worth on the field. Bayern Munich players Manuel Neuer, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, and Leroy Sane all made the cut, but Nicklas Sule has been ruled out with injury, as well as Leon Goretzka.
Borussia Dortmund ace Marco Reus is yet another absentee in the home team. Israel, on the other hand, failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals, but their displays in Group F were anything but poor. Anyhow, Gadi Brumer’s charges face an uphill task against Germany, who look sharp up front. A man to watch in the away side will be experienced attacker Moanes Dabbur.
Highlighted Player (Manuel Neuer):
Manuel Neuer is a German shoot-stopper who plays for Bayern Munich. Neuer used to play for Schalke in the past and in 2011 he joined their fierce rivals FCB for a fee of €22 million. Some Bayern fans were unhappy about the signing of the Schalke goalkeeper, but they changed their quickly changed their opinions.
The 193-cm-tall keeper, who was born on 27 March, 1986 in Gelsenkirchen, has established himself as one of the best shoot-stoppers in the world and, no doubt, he helped Bayern Munich win the 2015/2016 Bundesliga trophy. In 2012/2013 Manuel Neuer and FCB clinched the Champions League trophy as they defeated fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the title game.
Speaking of his international career, the Bayern Munich goalkeeper won the 2014 FIFA World Cup trophy with Germany and it has to be noted that he managed to keep a clean sheet in the title game (1-0). Neur’s idol as a child was Jens Lehman, who played for Germany as a goalkeeper as well.
Highlighted Team (Israel):
Israel are the direct successor of the Mandatory Palestine national football team. The Israelis received full UEFA membership in 1994, 20 years after leaving AFC and they have been facing European sides in the World Cup qualifiers ever since. Israel participated at the 1970 FIFA World Cup finals in Mexico, but they failed to make it to the knockout stages of the showpiece tournament.
The Israeli national football team have yet to qualify for the final stages of the European Championship, but they made it to the quarter-finals of the Olympics on two occasions (1968, 1976). Israel play their home games at both Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa and Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.
Yossi Benayoun is the most famous and the most capped Israeli footballer and it has to be noted that the pacey midfielder played for the likes of Racing Santander, West Ham United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in the past. Israel play their home games in blue shirts and blue shorts, whilst they wear white shirts and white shorts when playing on the travels.