Germany should triumph against Belgium
Group A of the 2012 European championship qualifiers opens with a classic European rivalry in the game between Belgium and Germany on Friday.
Joachim Loew's side will have to shake off any disappointments from the recent World Cup ahead of the game.
Germany had the talent and the form to win the tournament, but had to settle for bronze after a disappointing display against Spain in the semi-final.
With a young and promising German squad up against a Belgian team of relatively low profile, Loew's side should collect its first three points in the campaign in Brussels.
Ballack still out while trio return
Michael Ballack has not yet recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out of this summer's World Cup. Injured quartet Arne Friedrich, Jerome Boateng, Piotr Trochowski and Dennis Aogo have also been left out of the German squad.
Loew can welcome Rene Adler, Heiko Westermann and Christian Trasch, however, as the trio return after missing the finals in South Africa.
Defender Westermann scored 12 goals for Schalke between 2007 and 2010, and Hamburg's recent signing could prove a potent aerial threat in Brussels.
Despite Adler being Loew's first-choice keeper during the World Cup qualifiers, his absence from the finals saw him give up the spot to Manuel Neuer.
On Wednesday, Loew confirmed that Neuer will continue as first keeper in the European qualifiers.
Young stars Philipp Lahm, Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil, the backbone of the German World Cup team, will all feature on Friday. Their presence should see Germany collect its first win of the campaign.
Leekens' men ready for tough test
But the Belgian team, led by Georges Leekens since May, will be keen to put up a fight on their home soil.
Having been absent from the national team since September last year, Nurnberg's Timmy Simons returns for Belgium. Leekens hopes Simons will bring "some balance to the team."
Belgium will field a stong defensive line, held together by Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen and Bayern Munich's Daniel van Buyten.
Manchester City's Vincent Kompany, usually a central defender, could start in a defensive midfield position.
Having fallen out with previous manager d**k Advocaat, who spent only seven months as Belgium manager, Kompany will be pleased with Leekens' arrival.
The new manager will rely on 22-year-old prospect Marouane Fellaini to provide the attacking flair. The Everton midfielder suffered a serious ankle injury in February, but is now fit for the 2010-2011 season.
History on Germany's side
Belgium have lost 18, won four and drawn one game against Germany and the Federal Republic of Germany.
Belgium's last victory over Germany came in 1954, when the Federal Republic of Germany was defeated in Brussels.
One of the more frustrating defeats for Belgium came in the 1980 European championship final, which the Federal Republic of Germany won 2–1.
Rene Vandereycken put Belgium level at the end of the game, but Horst Hrubesch's second goal put an end to their hopes.
But as Belgium produced three home wins during the qualifiers for this year's World Cup, the team will be hopeful of causing an upset.
The German team, early favourites to win the 2012 tournament alongside Spain, will do their utmost to stop it happening.
Tags: