Luxembourg’s Red Lions will be looking to turn the page on their earlier defeat to Estonia as they prepare for Friday’s Nations League clash.
In the first leg in Tallinn last month, Estonia’s Rasmus Peetson found the net after only five minutes and sealed the game early.
Back then, Luxembourg were already missing several key players through injury, with Christopher Martins, Seid Korac, Danel Sinani, and captain Laurent Jans among those sidelined.
Benfica’s Leandro Barreiro, struggling with back problems, was only fit enough for the bench and will also miss this match. There is some good news, however: captain Laurent Jans is fit and available for selection on Friday.
Luxembourg’s campaign so far has been underwhelming: after four matches, the team sits on three points, with just two goals scored and seven conceded.
The away match at Tallinn’s Le Coq Arena saw Luxembourg create opportunities but fail to convert them. In an effort to sharpen the attack, head coach Jeff Strasser has called up Patrick Macedo of Résidence Walfer for his first selection; Macedo has scored 11 goals in 12 BGL Ligue matches this season.
Midfielder Farid Ikene from Racing Union Luxembourg also joins the national squad for the first time. Meanwhile, defender Tim Hall returns following his last appearance in September 2023, having impressed at top-flight leaders UNA Strassen.
Hall, now twenty-nine, could start on Friday, with Dirk Carlson serving a suspension for accumulated yellow cards. Other defensive options include Enes Mahmutovic, Vahid Selimovic, and Eric Veiga.
Defensive frailties were evident in the previous meeting with Estonia, and only a series of strong saves from goalkeeper Anthony Moris prevented a heavier defeat.
Head coach Jeff Strasser is calling for improvements across the pitch, both in attack and defence, as his side aim for a better result than last month.
Strasser says the team will continue to build on their recent approach and focus on creative play in possession and constructing moves through close ball control, but with an emphasis on being more clinical both in front of goal and in defence.
The coaching staff have highlighted the need for a more compact, aggressive, and determined defensive display, as well as sharper finishing in attack in order to address the shortcomings seen in recent matches.
The Luxembourg vs Estonia match will be broadcast live on RTL Zwee, on RTL Radio, and streamed on RTL Play and rtltoday.lu with English commentary from 8.45pm on Friday.
