Germany's rocky road goes through Paraguay – can Mannschaft shock the world?

Germany may have stumbled at the end of their Group E campaign, but Julian Nagelsmann is determined not to let the 2-1 defeat to Ecuador affect his team's mindset ahead of their Round of 32 clash against Paraguay in Foxborough (11:30 p.m.).

The Germans will be without the injured Lennart Karl and Nico Schlotterbeck, but whoever takes the field will need to produce a much better performance than they did in the previous match. Nagelsmann described the display against Ecuador as "tactical suicide" after his side had taken an early lead, and he expects another stern tactical challenge against Paraguay, another South American opponent.

Germany's bigger concern, however, is the knockout bracket. By finishing first in the group, they earned a meeting with Paraguay, but they could already face tournament favorites France in the Round of 16. Even if they had finished second, in Ivory Coast's position, they would likely have been set for a clash with Brazil, meaning there was never an easy route through the knockout stage. Nagelsmann, however, has little interest in such calculations.

"When you're coaching Germany, the only thing that matters is winning every match. The same applies to this game against Paraguay. To deal with expectations, you need confidence and a good game plan so the players feel comfortable on the pitch and can make the right decisions. They have to show how good they are and, ultimately, win. Football is all about winning. If you win, everything is perfect. If you lose, everything is rubbish. So we have to win," the former Bayern Munich coach said.

Nagelsmann also revealed he has been pleased with what he has seen in training over the past few days.

"We need a perfect performance. Watching the training sessions, I was very satisfied, and I can tell you I'm convinced the boys will produce the best football they possibly can."

Despite Deniz Undav making a huge impact off the bench with three goals and two assists in the opening two matches, Nagelsmann is expected to stick with Kai Havertz as his starting striker and attacking leader.

The Arsenal forward has yet to feature in a knockout match for Germany at a major tournament, as the Mannschaft were eliminated in the group stage at each of their previous two major competitions. However, Havertz has already proven himself on the biggest club stage, scoring in Champions League finals for Chelsea and Arsenal, and relishes high-pressure occasions.

"Basically, I'm a player who enjoys big challenges. I don't know why, but I feel very comfortable in those situations. I hope I can continue that good run in big matches at the World Cup as well," Havertz said.

Although Germany enter the match as clear favorites on paper, the Mannschaft know there is no room for error once the knockout stage begins. Paraguay have reached the Round of 32 on the back of disciplined defending and a dangerous counter-attacking style, the exact kind of approach that troubled Germany against Ecuador. For Julian Nagelsmann's side, the clash in Foxborough will be about more than simply advancing—it will be their first real test of character as they look to launch a serious World Cup title challenge.

WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE

Round of 32

Sunday

South Africa - Canada 1-0 (0-0)

/Eustaquio 90+2/

Monday

20.00: (1.73) Brazil (3.60) Japan (5.20)

23.30: (1.40) Germany (4.60) Paraguay (8.00)

Tuesday

04.00: (2.20) Netherlands (3.15) Morocco (3.75)

20.00: (3.50) Ivory Coast (3.55) Norway (2.10)

00.00: (1.30) France (5.80) Sweden (9.00)

Wednesday

04.00: (2.25) Mexico (2.95) Ecuador (3.85)

19.00: (1.30) England (5.20) Dr Congo (11.0)

23.00: (2.15) Belgium (3.25) Senegal (3.75)

Thursday

03.00: (1.43) USA (4.60) B&H (8.50)

22.00: (1.32) Spain (5.25) Austria (10.0)

Friday

02.00: (1.95) Portugal (3.40) Croatia (4.10)

06.00: (1.95) Switzerland (3.45) Algeria (4.00)

21.00: (3.15) Australia (2.95) Egypt (2.55)

Saturday

01.00: (1.17) Argentina (7.50) Cape Verde (16.0)

04.30: (1.70) Colombia (3.60) Ghana (5.50)

***odds are subject to change***