Germany vs. Switzerland: Lineup, Squad & Why Key Players Were Missing
The German national team recently faced Switzerland in a friendly match, but several key players—Jonas Urbig, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha, and Jamie Leweling—were unavailable. This article details the reasons for their absence and highlights who replaced them in the squad and starting lineup.
In the friendly fixture against Switzerland in Basel on Friday, March 27, the German national squad was notably without Aleksandar Pavlovic (FC Bayern), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), and Jamie Leweling (VfB Stuttgart).
Player Absences and Replacements
All four players were absent from the German squad due to various injuries, rendering them unavailable for the friendly match. Urbig was dealing with a capsule injury, Pavlovic had hip problems, Nmecha faced several weeks on the sidelines due to a lateral collateral ligament injury in his right knee, and Leweling withdrew due to muscle complaints.
National coach Julian Nagelsmann did not name a replacement for Leweling. However, to cover the absences of Pavlovic and Nmecha, he called up Angelo Stiller and Chris Führich, both from VfB Stuttgart. In goal, Finn Dahmen of FC Augsburg stepped in for Jonas Urbig.
Official Starting Lineup
The German national team typically employs a 4-2-3-1 formation, a system that national coach Julian Nagelsmann maintained for the match against Switzerland.
Oliver Baumann was the starting goalkeeper. The defensive line featured Joshua Kimmich at right-back, David Raum at left-back, and the central defensive partnership of Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck.
In the defensive midfield, Leon Goretzka partnered with the recently called-up Angelo Stiller as the double pivot.
Florian Wirtz was positioned as the attacking midfielder (number ten), flanked by wingers Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry. Upfront, Kai Havertz was a somewhat surprising choice to lead the line over Deniz Undav.
Official Starting Lineup:
Baumann – Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Raum – Goretzka, Stiller – Sané, Gnabry, Wirtz – Havertz
Match Broadcast Information
The friendly match between Switzerland and Germany was broadcast live, starting at 8:15 PM CET. The coverage featured commentator Wolff-Christoph Fuss, with Florian König as the presenter and Lothar Matthäus providing expert analysis. A live stream was also available for viewers.
Key Match Details
- Match: Switzerland vs. Germany
- Competition: Friendly Match
- Date: March 27, 2026
- Kick-off: 8:45 PM CET
- Venue: St. Jakob-Park, Basel (Switzerland)
- Broadcast: Available via TV and Livestream providers
Overview of the German Squad
| Jersey Number | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oliver Baumann | TSG Hoffenheim |
| 2 | Antonio Rüdiger | Real Madrid |
| 3 | Waldemar Anton | VfB Stuttgart |
| 4 | Jonathan Tah | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 5 | Pascal Groß | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 6 | Joshua Kimmich | FC Bayern |
| 7 | Kai Havertz | Arsenal |
| 8 | Leon Goretzka | FC Bayern |
| 9 | Kevin Schade | FC Brentford |
| 11 | Nick Woltemade | SV Werder Bremen |
| 12 | Alexander Nübel | VfB Stuttgart |
| 13 | Deniz Undav | VfB Stuttgart |
| 14 | Chris Führich | VfB Stuttgart |
| 15 | Nico Schlotterbeck | Borussia Dortmund |
| 16 | Angelo Stiller | VfB Stuttgart |
| 17 | Florian Wirtz | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 18 | Nathaniel Brown | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 19 | Leroy Sané | FC Bayern |
| 20 | Serge Gnabry | FC Bayern |
| 21 | Finn Dahmen | FC Augsburg |
| 22 | David Raum | RB Leipzig |
| 23 | Josha Vagnoman | VfB Stuttgart |
| 24 | Anton Stach | TSG Hoffenheim |
| 26 | Malick Thiaw | AC Milan |
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