It is the end of the season for those players featuring in the top leagues of European football, but the Nations League will still provide the opportunity for some international silverware as the competition reaches the semi-final stage this midweek, before the final on Sunday.
Germany have the advantage of playing host to Portugal in the first last four clash, but manager Julian Nagelsmann has plenty of injury issues to deal with, so they could be in for a difficult clash against a team packed with international experience.
Team news
Marc-Andre ter Stegen is set to return in goal after a nine-month absence but Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann will have to shuffle the pack as he has Jamal Musiala, Antonio Rudiger, Angelo Siller, Nico Schlotterbeck, Tim Kleindienst, Kai Havertz and Yann Bisseck all injured.
Portugal should be at full strength in their first outing since they beat Denmark 5-2 in Lisbon in March.
The stats
- Both teams have scored in six of Portugal's last eight matches
- Germany have not lost any of their last 17 internationals in 90 minutes
- Portugal have not conceded a first-half goal in their last five Nations League away matches
- Four of the last five meetings have been Germany wins featuring more than three goals
- Germany have scored first in five of their last six matches
Prediction
Germany will feel they allowed a great chance for a trophy slip by last summer when they fell to Spain in the quarter-finals when hosting the Euros, but a victory over Portugal in their Nations League semi-final on Wednesday looks no foregone conclusion.
Nagelsmann's team earned their last four berth with a 5-4 aggregate win over Italy in March but it is not just the fact they allowed the Azzurri to battle back from three goals down to earn a draw in the second leg that will be a cause for concern.
The timing of the game following the demands of elite European seasons is one thing, but the issue for the Germany coach is that he has a whole host of injuries to contend with.
Key central defender Rudiger, talented attacker Musiala and chief goal threat Havertz will all be missing in Munich and several high-profile international retirements have not helped either.
Portugal, who claimed the inaugural Nations League on home soil six years ago, have lost just once in their last eight matches, eased past Denmark 5-2 in their last outing and can give their fans something to cheer.