Under-21 Group B: Germany vs Slovenia facts

The Nitra Stadium is the venue as Germany and Slovenia kick off their UEFA European Under-21 Championship Group B campaigns.

Germany have qualified for a seventh successive tournament and had reached the final for three editions in a row – lifting the trophy in 2017 and 2021 – before failing to progress from the group stage in 2023. By contrast Slovenia are making only their second finals appearance having co-hosted the 2021 tournament, when they did not win a game.

Czechia and holders England – who were also in Germany's section two years ago – complete Group B.

Previous meetings

This is the sides' first competitive fixture.

Their last meeting came on 12 November 2020, a 1-1 friendly draw in Braunschweig. Manuel Wintzheimer opened the scoring for Germany with a 42nd-minute penalty, Slovakia levelling with a penalty of their own converted by Zan Medved a minute after half-time.

Germany had been 3-0 friendly winners against Slovenia in Furth on 9 October 2009, Julian Schieber scoring twice and Holger Badstuber once in what was the teams' first fixture.

Nicolò Tresoldi and Lukas Ullrich, with a penalty, got the first two goals as Germany beat Slovenia 3-0 in the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite round.

Luca Netz's goal gave Germany a 1-0 win against Slovenia in the 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round.

Form guide

Germany

This is Germany's 11th appearance in the final tournament and a seventh in succession. They reached the semi-finals or better in four successive tournaments between 2015 and 2021.

Germany claimed their third U21 title in 2021, when they equalled Italy's record of reaching a third successive final, having also lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2017.

Two years ago a team coached by Antonio Di Salvo – in charge since 2021 – failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since 2013, finishing bottom of Group C behind England, Israel and Czechia having not won a game (D1 L2).

Germany were unbeaten in qualifying for these finals (W8 D2), finishing four points above runners-up Poland in Group D.

Youssoufa Moukoko was Germany's top scorer in qualifying on six goals.

Slovenia

This is the first time Slovenia have got through qualifying having played in the 2021 finals as co-hosts.

Four years ago a team coached by Milenko Ačimovič finished bottom of Group B behind Spain, Italy and Czechia, collecting one point from their three games (D1 L2), scoring one goal and conceding eight.

Third in their 2023 qualifying section behind England and Czechia, this time round Slovenia reached the finals as Group H winners, recording five victories in eight games (D2 L1) to finish a point ahead of France.

Tio Cipot was Slovenia's top scorer in qualifying with six goals.

In charge since 2020, Aćimović became Slovenia's director of national teams after qualifying had been completed; Andrej Razdrh, one of his assistants, was named as his replacement with the U21 side on 11 February.

Links and trivia

Ansgar Knauff and Martin Pecar were briefly team-mates at Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2022.

Paul Wanner scored Heidenheim's winner in a 2-1 victory against Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana on UEFA Conference League Matchday 1 after coming on as a substitute.