Germany vs. Paraguay: Players to Watch on Either Side

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Germany will face Paraguay in an international friendly in Kaiserslautern.

Recently ranked second in FIFA’s world rankings, the Germans will use the tilt as continued preparation for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers in September and October. Here are three German players to watch as well as one player to keep an eye on from the visiting side.

 

Mario Gomez (Germany)

Many eyeballs will likely be glued upon Mario Gomez when considering the 28-year-old left German giant Bayern Munich for Italian soil and Fiorentina this summer.

Gomez reminded the Bundesliga just how efficiently he can find the back of the net during last season’s domestic campaign. The striker tallied on 11 occasions for the Champions League winners, the third most of any player on Bayern during the 2013-13 Bundesliga season.

He did so making only 12 appearances.

With a fresh start in the Serie A, it will be intriguing to see if Gomez’s form is at all affected by the switch.

 

Miroslav Klose (Germany)

Miroslav Klose is already a German football legend. Against Paraguay on Wednesday, he has the opportunity to cement that legacy even further.

Klose (67 career goals for Germany) is just one behind Gerd Muller (68 career goals for Germany) for most goals in the team’s history.

Should the expert header of the ball find himself onto the field on Wednesday, it could well be a match he and the rest of the German football world will remember for a long time.

Philipp Lahm (Germany)

Philipp Lahm is already off to a fast start this season under Pep Guardiola, helping Bayern take down Gladbach for the defending champions’ first win of the fresh campaign.

His efforts landed him on Bundesliga Fanatic’s Team of the Week.

Lahm is always a pleasure to watch for the German national team. His explosive speed and ability to determine the appropriate time to join the attack on the wing make him a difficult defender to deal with.

Expect consistent forays down the flank from Lahm, who will undoubtedly be an even smarter footballer now that he is being guided by one of football’s visionaries, Guardiola.  

Antonio Sanabria (Paraguay)

17-year-old Antonio Sanabria showed flashes of why Arsenal (via Arsenal News) are interested in his services during his four appearances in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The Barcelona product oozes class on the pitch and is equipped with the sort of technique that allows him to score imaginative goals.

He will certainly be a point of emphasis for the German defenders should he enter the friendly on Wednesday.

Data gathered from TransferMarkt and WhoScored?