Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's match as the top flight of the brand new
UEFA Nations League gets underway in Munich!
It has been 53 days since France hoisted the World Cup trophy aloft and tonight sees them return to action for the first time since that historic match in Moscow.
It is a blockbuster way for the Nations League to get underway with the past two world champions meeting, and we will have a look at both a little later - as well as explaining exactly how this confusing new tournament works.
First, though, let's check out the team news!
GERMANY STARTING XI: Neuer; Rudiger, Boateng, Hummels; Kimmich, Kroos, Reus, Muller, Goretzka, Ginter; Werner
FRANCE STARTING XI: Areola; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Pogba, Kante, Matuidi; Mbappe, Griezmann, Giroud
What can we make of those two teams, then?
Well, let's start with the home side, who are looking for a fresh start after their showing at the World Cup but still include plenty of familiar faces.
It will be interesting to see which formation Joachim Low goes for tonight as there are a few options with that personnel, including a back three or Kimmich moving into midfield.
It is not exactly a wholesale change from the World Cup, though, with only four new players coming in compared to the starting lineup of Germany's most recent game - the shock 2-0 defeat at the hands of South Korea in Russia.
Defenders Rudiger, Boateng and Ginter come into the team, while Thomas Muller also returns having been a notable absentee for that match against Korea.
Khedira, Rudy, Trapp, Plattenhardt and Hector were the players to lose their places in the squad after the World Cup, while Mesut Ozil retired in a blaze of controversy to end his long and largely successful international career.
That leaves Muller as the most experienced player in the Germany squad now, with 94 caps and 38 goals to his name.
There is no place in the team for Thilo Kehrer, Nico Schulz or Kai Havertz, all of whom are uncapped players in the latest squad, while Leroy Sane also has to wait his turn for a start.
Sane was the most high-profile absentee from Germany's World Cup squad after a season which saw him named the PFA Young Player of the Year, but he has struggled for game time at Man City so far this season so it is no surprise to see him miss out tonight.
While Germany are looking to embark on a new era now, France will be hoping for more of the same following their memorable World Cup triumph this summer, and that is reflected in their lineup tonight.
Didier Deschamps makes just one change from the XI that started the final against Croatia in Moscow, and that is an enforced one as captain Hugo Lloris misses out with a thigh injury.
Lloris has, of course, been in the headlines for the wrong reasons recently, but it is only the injury keeping him out of the squad for this one, and that affords
Alphonse Areola the chance to make his international debut tonight.
Areola is one of two uncapped players in the squad, and the other is also a keeper with Benjamin Lecomte coming in. The three French keepers in this squad have just one cap between them.
The most experienced of the lot is Olivier Giroud, and he leads the line once again this evening having been favoured at the World Cup despite not managing a single shot on target.
The Chelsea striker has scored 31 goals in 81 appearances for France, and his presence is part of the reason behind the continued absence of Ousmane Dembele, despite the Barcelona striker's good start to the season.
It is an unchanged defensive line - including a 50th cap for Raphael Varane - while the midfield is also untouched as Pogba, Kante and Matuidi line up in the three again.
There are star names throughout, including Antoine Griezmann of course, but the man most people will be looking forward to seeing tonight is one Kylian Mbappe - arguably the brightest young player to come through in a decade and one who looks capable of taking over the mantle of world's best player from Messi and Ronaldo when the time comes.
It is a match stacked with quality in every area, then, so hopefully we will see a good contest tonight as the UEFA Nations League gets underway.
It is a tournament which needs some explaining, though, so allow me to do so as best I can...
UEFA has split 55 European nations in four leagues based on the coefficient rankings from October 2017, with those four leagues them separated into four groups - in League A's case, four groups of three.
League A contains the highest-ranked teams - including France and Germany - while League D contains the lowest-ranked.
All of the leagues have relegation and promotion, so the bottom team of each four groups in League A will be relegated into League B, and replaced by the winners of the four League B groups for the next edition of the tournament, which takes place in 2020.
For League A, the winners of the four groups obviously cannot be promoted, so they go into a mini-tournament called the UEFA Nations League Finals in June next year. This consists of semi-finals, a third-placed playoff and a final, the winner of which will become the champions.
That is not it, though, as there are also potential Euro 2020 places up for grabs in this tournament, making it all the more important and giving teams a lifeline if they underperform in the qualification groups.
Twenty of the 24 teams at Euro 2020 will still qualify via the usual method - the top two in each of the 10 groups - but the final four qualifiers will come from the UEFA Nations League. The top-four ranked teams from each group who have not already qualified for the Euros will enter a playoff for their league, the winner of which will earn a spot at the tournament.
This means that one team from League A, League B, League C and League D are all guaranteed a place at the Euros via this method.
Still confused? Well, it is all designed to help make international football more competitive and reduce the number of meaningless friendlies which had become the bane of almost every football fan's season.
Here is a handy little video from UEFA to help explain it a little more...
Right, now to the teams and we'll once again start with Germany, despite the French now being world champions.
These two sides have suffered such differing fortunes so far this year, and Germany's exit from the group stages of the World Cup must go down as one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's history given how successful they always seem to be when the major moments come along.
Having lifted the trophy in 2014 and finished in the top three of the previous four tournaments,
Joachim Low's side were once again expected to be there or thereabouts at the end of the competition.
However, defeats to Mexico and South Korea sealed their fate in the group stages, condemning the four-time world champions to a first-round exit for the first time since 1938.
Even Germany's solitary win of the campaign was unconvincing, needing a 95th-minute Toni Kroos free kick to overcome Sweden 2-1, and things have not got much better for them since the tournament ended either.
On-field embarrassment has turned to off-field allegations, with Mesut Ozil accusing the DFB of racism in an explosive retirement from international duty - comments which drew very mixed reactions from those inside German football.
Joachim Low will no doubt relish the chance to focus things back on matters on the pitch tonight, though, even if it does come against the world champions at a time where his team are in poor form.
Even before the World Cup Die Mannschaft were not at their best, and they go into this game with just two wins from their last nine international outings - a run which also includes four defeats.
Germany have also only won one of their last four home games across all competitions, with that victory coming against Saudi Arabia in their most recent such outing.
Granted, Joachim Low could point at the fact that his side have also only lost one of their last 12 games on home soil, stretching back to May 2016, but the three games they have failed to win in that time have come in their last four home outings.
You count Germany out at your own peril, though, and France will not be doing that tonight as they look to tame what is sure to be a wounded beast.
Les Bleus can travel to Munich full of confidence themselves, though, and there is sure to be a party atmosphere amongst their fans as the feelgood factor surrounding their World Cup triumph spreads into their first game since the final in Moscow.
France needed a slice of luck in that final, taking the lead through an own goal and also scoring at a crucial time in the match courtesy of a controversial penalty awarded on VAR review, but it is also important not to take away from the quality of this team.
Indeed, France could well be on the verge of a period of dominance in international football, having reached the finals of the past two major tournaments with a young squad blessed with extraordinary talent and frightening strength in depth.
France are now unbeaten in their last 11 matches, winning nine of those, while a pre-World Cup defeat to Colombia in March is their only reverse from their last 19 games.
Indeed, Les Bleus have also only lost one of their last 17 competitive fixtures, with that coming at the hands of Sweden during World Cup qualifying. This does, of course, count as a competitive fixture with the new format, so they will be eager to send a statement by continuing that good run away to Germany tonight.
The French fans will never get tired of reliving their World Cup story, so allow me to indulge them by telling it once again - although it is a story of pragmatism as much as anything.
France were not entirely convincing in the group stages, needing another controversial penalty and own goal to scrape past Australia 2-1 and then only edging to victory over Peru. A goalless draw with Denmark then secured top spot for Les Bleus, setting up a last-16 showdown with Argentina.
It was in that Argentina match that we saw the first real glimpses of France's attacking potential as they edged a seven-goal thriller 4-3 - arguably the game of the World Cup and one which also contained the official goal of the tournament too.
Les Bleus were back to their perfunctory ways in victories to nil over Uruguay and Belgium - the latter of whom were particularly frustrated by the perceived anti-football played by Deschamps's side - before turning on the style again for the final against Croatia.
For all of the talent in the tea, it wasn't exactly Brazil 1970 this summer, but their ability to win in a variety of ways will continue to make them one of the best teams in world football for as long as it lasts.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at the Allianz Arena, which means that it is time for a prediction!
It remains to be seen just how seriously the players take this tournament, but the team selections are strong and, at the end of the day, everybody wants to win. Germany (surely) cannot be as bad as they were at the World Cup, and there isn't as much between these two teams as Russia suggested. With home advantage also in Germany's favour, I am going for a score draw.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Germany 2-2 France
France are actually something of a bogey team for Germany, who have only beaten Les Bleus twice in the 11 times they have met since 1987.
France have won seven of those and are unbeaten in the last three, winning two and drawing the most recent contest in Koln just under a year ago. Alexandre Lacazette scored twice for France in that game, giving them the lead on both occasions, but Werner and Stindl replied for Germany.
The latest competitive meeting between these two teams came in the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championship, with France running out 2-0 winners on home soil.
Antoine Griezmann got both of those goals - a penalty on the stroke of half time and a second in the 72nd minute - only to go on and lose to Portugal in the final.
All in all, these two nations have faced off 29 times down the years, and as the recent record might suggest it is France who have the lead in the head-to-head record.
Les Bleus have won 13 of those 29 contests, with Germany coming out on top 10 times and six of the games ending all square.
Right, we're almost ready to go here so let's have a quick reminder of the team news before we get started...
GERMANY STARTING XI: Neuer; Ginter, Boateng, Hummels, Rudiger; Kimmich, Kroos, Reus, Muller, Goretzka; Werner
FRANCE STARTING XI: Areola; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Pogba, Kante, Matuidi; Mbappe, Griezmann, Giroud
KICKOFF: Here we go, then! France get us underway in Munich!
Germany make an early break down the left flank through Rudiger, who is challenge by Pavard but then seems to leave a foot in on the France left-back. I'd stop short of calling it a stamp, but it was a bit naughty from the Chelsea man as he scraped his studs down Pavard's neck.
These two sides are just settling into this one in the early exchanges. It will be interesting to see how Germany in particular play tonight - they could go and chase the game in a bid to make up for their World Cup showing, but that is exactly what France will want too.
UPDATE: There has been an early goal on Cardiff, where Wales are hosting the Republic of Ireland in League B. Tom Lawrence has got the goal for the hosts in Ryan Giggs's first home game at the helm.
A deep cross is played in towards Muller at the back post and he tries to turn it back into a more dangerous area, but his volleyed cross is put behind for a corner.
Ten minutes in and France are just enjoying their first real spell of possession, although most of it is coming on the halfway line. Hernandez bursts forward down the left, though, and wins a free kick in a good crossing position...
Germany win the ball back off Griezmann and have the chance to break, but Werner's touch is heavy and goes out for a throw-in.
Good football from the hosts as a crossfield pass releases Werner down the right, and he skips away past Hernandez before drilling a low ball into the box. Kante is perfectly placed to intercept, though.
This time it is France who come forward down the left and Hernandez just shrugs off a challenge of Werner, who is left in a heap on the floor. Hernandez's eventual cross is overhit, though.
UPDATE: One of the positives about this tournament - or rather what UEFA have told us the positives are - is that there should be fewer mismatches between teams. The minnows are in action in Group D at the moment, and Macedonia have just taken the lead against Gibraltar.
Elsewhere, Wales have doubled their advantage against Ireland courtesy of Gareth Bale.
SAVE! The first real sight of goal we have seen so far falls to Germany as Werner pops up on the left channel this time, dipping inside past Pavard before trying to curl a low effort past Areola. The PSG keeper deals with his first test in international football comfortably, though.
UPDATE: There have also been a couple of goals in League C, where Norway lead Cyprus and Slovenia are trailing Bulgaria.
This game is yet to catch fire in the opening quarter. Sights have goal have been very few and far between, with France happy to let Germany have most of the ball and soak up the pressure.
France are no strangers to this type of performance - indeed they built their World Cup success on it - and they will be happy to bide their time and wait for the chance to catch Germany on the counter-attack with the pace of Mbappe.
The camera has just shown a close-up of Pavard's neck after that earlier clash with Rudiger, and the scars are glaringly obvious. Rudiger really caught him with his studs.
France show their first hint of releasing Mbappe on the break, but the Germans are well drilled and their defensive line have him offside by a few yards when the ball is released.
We're half an hour into this match now and still not a great deal to report in terms of chances. Safe to say it hasn't quite lived up to expectations so far!
Very little to celebrate the two sides at the moment, but it is Germany who are seeing the lion's share of possession. Here is a shot of Kante hunting down Marco Reus...
UPDATE: Macedonia have doubled their advantage against Gibraltar in League D of the Nations League!
CHANCE! This has to go down as a chance on the balance of play in this game!
Rudiger is left unmarked from a corner but gets his header completely wrong, mistiming it and only steering it towards the back post. Hummels is there unmarked himself, but he cannot get his header on target from a tight angle either.
CHANCE! France respond with by far their best moment of the match so far, forcing Neuer into action for the first time. Kante clips a cross into the box and Giroud rises highest to meet the ball, powering a downward header towards the bottom corner which Neuer needs to turn away.
UPDATE: It is turning into a dream home debut for Wales boss Ryan Giggs - his side now lead Ireland 3-0 courtesy of an Aaram Ramsey strike!
Giroud proves his worth at the other end of the field now with a towering header to clear the danger from a corner.
Cool as you like from Boateng as he knocks the ball back to Neuer while under heavy pressure from Hernandez inside his own penalty area. Neuer is forced to knock it straight out of play, but they averted a potential dangerous situation there.
SAVE! Pogba wins a free kick in a dangerous position which Mbappe curls over the wall, but Neuer makes it look easy as he just crabs across and plucks it out of the air.
Areola called into a bit of action here as Rudiger fires a cross/shot into the area, but it is easy for the keeper. It looked like more of a mis-hit cross than an effort on goal.
There will be one minute of added time at the end of the first half.
CHANCE! Good pressure from France at the end of the half. Ginter is forced into a last-ditch challenge to deny Matuidi inside the box before Mbappe's low cross is flicked wide by Giroud's inventive effort.
HALF TIME: GERMANY 0-0 FRANCE
The first half comes to an end at the Allianz Arena, then, and we're still goalless between Germany and France in this UEFA Nations League contest.
In all honesty it has not been a classic between the past two World Cup winners - certainly not befitting of the level of quality on show. Neither side have grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and it has all been a little slow and, dare I say, friendly-like so far.
Germany have seen the majority of the possession with France happy to sit back and look for openings on the break, but it is the world champions that have probably have the best chance.
Kante's cross into the box was met by Giroud, who powered a firm downward header towards the bottom corner which Neuer did well to turn away. Giroud also came close with an audacious flick right at the end of the half, but it hasn't been a vintage display from the visitors.
Germany's own sights of goal have been few and far between too, with Werner drawing one low stop from Areola but little else other than that.
There was one half-chance from a corner for the visitors too when first Rudiger and then Hummels failed to get their desired impact on headers, but it has been very slim pickings in terms of goalmouth action so far.
MATCH STATS!Germany may have seen more of the ball in that first half, but France have had the most shots and more shots on target too. You can check out the full match stats by clicking here.
KICKOFF: Germany get us back underway for the second half!
France are struggling to get their key players into the game here. There have been a few nice touches from Mbappe, but they haven't got him on the ball running at or behind the defence, while the likes of Pogba and Griezmann have also been quiet.
CHANCE! France have their best chance of the match so far as Pavard works the ball in to Griezmann, who lets it run across his body to elude Kroos. That affords him a bit of space, but his subsequent effort is straight at Neuer.
That's one way of dealing with Mbappe - Rudiger steps across him and just shoves him to the floor to stop him launching a counter which he himself would have led.
France are seeing a bit more of the ball in the opening stages of the second half. They didn't offer anything until the final 10 minutes of the first half, so they may have been told to step things up a bit by Deschamps.
UPDATE: It is turning into a remarkable night for Wales in Cardiff - they are now 4-0 up against Ireland through Connor Roberts!
Lend us some goals, please!
SAVE! Werner bursts to the byline and creates space to get a cross in, but his low delivery is too near the front post. It still almost catches Areola out, but the France keeper saves it with his legs and it goes behind for a corner.
Almost a chance for France as Pavard knocks the ball into the path of Mbappe, whose first touch lets him down and goes straight behind for a goal kick.
Joachim Low has just signalled that he is thinking of changes as he go past the hour mark. Something certainly needs to change here as were are meandering towards a pretty dull stalemate at the moment.
SHOT! Kimmich tries his luck from range as the rain begins to pour in Munich, but the ball flies a long way over the French crossbar.
Every time the ball comes to Mbappe, he seems to try a flick and it always seems to come off too. They are not unnecessary, showy, flicks, but rather ones which actually give him a yard to make the pass.
SAVE! A party piece of football ends with Griezmann lining up an effort from range and his strike is a really good one which Neuer needs to parry away.
SAVE! Germany respond with a chance of their own at the other end as Reus meets a low pass on the edge of the area with a really good first-time effort. Areola is alert, though and pushes it behind for a corner.
GERMANY SUB: A change for the hosts here as Ilkay Gundogan replaces Goretzka.
FRANCE SUB: France also make a change as Ousmane Dembele comes on for Giroud.
There were just a few signs of this match finally sparking into life before those changes, so hopefully Gundogan and Dembele can help that. France certainly have even more pace on the counter now.
SHOT! Sure enough, France do launch a counter with Mbappe rather than Dembele leading the charge, but he gets his finish all wrong and puts it well wide of the target.
Less than 20 minutes to go in this match now, and in truth neither side really deserve to win it.
CHANCE! Suddenly Germany break now and Hummels finds himself as the furthest man forward! He clips a cross to Muller, who decides against going for a header and tries to bring the ball down on his chest instead.
That allows the French defence to get a foot in, but the ball then drops back to Hummels and his effort is too close to Areola.
SHOT! Muller does well to work the ball to Gundogan on the edge of the box, but he is under pressure and lashes his effort over the crossbar.
SAVE! This may have been a cross, and it may have been a shot from Muller, but either way Areola needs to be alert. Muller cuts inside and curls one towards the far post, putting too much on it and almost sending it into the top corner. Areola tips it over, though.
CHANCE! Areola is enjoying a fine debut here, and he has just pulled off a sensational save!
Ginter meets the resulting corner with a firm header and he must think that he has scored, but Areola pulls off a stunning one-handed reaction stop to flick it behind for another corner!
Areola is called into action again from the second delivery, but this time it is a much more routine stop.
CHANCE! Almost a rare error from Kante, but he immediately makes up for it. A heavy touch in his own box leads to him slamming a clearance straight into a Germany player. The ball drops to Werner, but Kante is there to block the shot and come away with the ball.
It is all Germany now - by far the heaviest spell of sustained pressure either side have enjoyed tonight. The hosts look the most likely to go on and get a winner here, but France always have that threat on the counter.
FRANCE SUB: Another change for France sees Nabil Fekir replace Griezmann.
Half a chance for France as Pogba climbs highest from a corner, but he cannot get high enough and takes a knock from Muller for his troubles too.
GERMANY SUB: Another change for Germany as Leroy Sane comes on in place of Reus.
FRANCE SUB: A third and final change for Frances sees Corentin Tolisso replace Matuidi.
YELLOW CARD! It has taken 88 minutes for the first yellow card of the match, but it goes to Rudiger - who perhaps should have seen at least that colour in the opening exchanges.
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: GERMANY 0-0 FRANCE
Not quite the thriller we hoped for, then, as Germany and France play out a goalless stalemate in their first matches since the World Cup, getting the top flight of the new UEFA Nations League off to a rather low-key start.
Germany were the better side against the team who took their world title off them this summer, but France's Alphonse Areola proved to be their key man on his debut to keep things goalless.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thanks you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's UEFA Nations League clash between Germany and France as the past two world champions play out a goalless draw in Munich! I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to check back in for plenty more international football to come this weekend.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
