Serbia head coach Veljko Paunovic has outlined his team's tactical focus ahead of hosting Germany in Friday's UEFA Nations League encounter. Paunovic insists his squad must show resilience and defensive discipline when facing Jurgen Klopp's side in Belgrade.
Germany face determined Serbia in Belgrade clash
Germany travel to Belgrade to face Serbia on Friday in a crucial UEFA Nations League Group A2 encounter. Jurgen Klopp's side sit third in the group, three points adrift of the top two, while bottom-side Serbia are fighting to avoid relegation.
Serbia head coach Veljko Paunovic addressed the media at the FSS Sports Center in Stara Pazova ahead of facing Die Mannschaft at the Rajko Mitic Stadium.
Despite Serbia's difficult campaign, Paunovic views the Germany test as a prime opportunity to demonstrate competitive progress.
Paunovic demands resistance and focus against Germany
Paunovic emphasized that his team must deliver a disciplined and dignified performance when standing up to Germany's high-intensity system.
"We see the match against the Netherlands as one of the benchmarks. In that direction, we want to improve our game, efficiency and consistency," Paunovic stated. "We left an image that we now have to confirm. I want us to be dignified on the field, to show the opponent resistance without the ball and idea with the ball."
Highlighting key areas for improvement against elite opposition, he added: "In football, you have to be consistent in all your actions, not to lose focus. In many situations, we can still improve our game, both without the ball and with the ball, in forward passes, getting to the finish and converting."
Mitrovic return and fearless mentality to test Germany
Paunovic confirmed that Dusan Tadic retains the captaincy, while welcoming back striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to lead the attack against Germany's defence.
"Mitrovic is very important for us in attack, but also in the team itself, in the group of leaders we have in the locker room," Paunovic explained. "We will wait for him to arrive, we will talk and see how he feels. We will try to get the most out of what he is ready to give."
Rallying his squad for the challenge, Paunovic added: "These two matches are a new challenge and an opportunity to see where we are in duels with strong national teams. As the song says, 'the strongest only stay, they never give up'. Whatever the outcome in the Nations League, we will try to get the best out of it."
High stakes for both sides in Belgrade
Germany enter the match needing maximum points to maintain pressure on the top two positions before facing the Netherlands in their final group fixture.
Serbia will rely on organized home support, including youth groups in the east stand, to create an intense atmosphere for Klopp's team.
Both sides report for their final tactical sessions in Belgrade, with Germany aiming for a decisive victory to seal their quarter-final push.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
