UEFA EURO 2008 GROUP B
Date: Sun 8 June Kick-off: 1945 BST Venue: Worthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt
Germany have to choose who will lead their attack, with Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski likely to fight it out for the right to partner Mario Gomez.
However, Germany coach Joachim Loew could decide to switch Podolski to the left-hand side of midfield.
Loew is keeping his cards close to his chest but goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke said many places are still open.
Poland pair Jakub Blaszczykowski and keeper Tomasz Kuszczak are already ruled out of the tournament.
The Poles lost the pair before a ball was even kicked in anger.
Goalkeeper Kuszczak was ruled out with a back injury on Friday and replaced by Wojciech Kowalewski.
And winger Blaszczykowski suffered a hamstring strain that forced him to withdraw from the squad.
Germany have no injury concerns in their 23-man squad.
"All our players are healthy," said Koepke. "The final decision will come after tonight's practice in Klagenfurt.
Germany go into the game without a victory in the Euros since they won the final in 1996.
And they are hoping the three Polish-born players in their team, Klose and Podolski, and midfielder Piotr Trochowski, can give them some inside information about their opponents.
"They are the so-called insiders and we may have an advantage because of that," Germany assistant coach Hansi Flick said.
Head-to-heads
Germany and Poland have met on 15 previous occasions. Poland have never beaten Germany and have managed only four draws and 11 defeats.
Their last confrontation occurred on 14 June 2006 at the Fifa World Cup in Germany, when the hosts won 1-0, courtesy of an Oliver Neuville goal in extra time.
The last time Poland avoided defeat against Germany was in the opening match of the 1978 Fifa World Cup (1 June 1978) when they played out a goalless draw.
Team facts - Germany
Won the European Championship a record three times (1972, 1980 and 1996).
They will also be making a record 10th appearance at the European Championship. The Germans have been ever present since their victorious debut in 1972.
European Championship participations by each nation
Also hold the record for European Championship matches played (32) and won (15).
Have not won a European Championship match since triumphant in the final of Euro 96 against the Czech Republic.
They are currently on a six match winless streak in this tournament which is a German record and the joint longest current streak together with Switzerland's.
Been knocked out in the group phase in their last two European Championship appearances. In the history of the competition, no nation has been eliminated in three successive group phases.
Team facts - Poland
Making their debut at the European Championship, having already participated in seven Fifa World Cups. The last nation to win the competition on their debut was (West) Germany in 1972.
Dutchman Leo Beenhakker will be coaching in his third major tournament, having led the Netherlands in the 1990 Fifa World Cup and Trinidad and Tobago in the 2006 Fifa World Cup.
At the 1990 World Cup, Beenhakker's reigning European champions Holland were knocked out by West Germany in the second round.
Player facts - Germany
Three players in the German squad (Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski and Piotr Trochowski) were born in Poland.
Miroslav Klose will celebrate his 30th birthday the day after this match.
Player facts - Poland
With David Healy (Northern Ireland) failing to qualify and Eduardo da Silva (Croatia) missing because of injury, Poland's Ebi Smolarek (nine goals) is the top marksman from qualifying to actually take part in Euro 2008.
Jacek Krzynowek (VfL Wolfsburg) and Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund) play their club football in Germany.
Poland's Marek Saganowski (Southampton) joins Germany's Oliver Neuville (Borussia Monchengladbach) and Austria's Ramazan Ozcan (Hoffenheim) as the only Euro 2008 players to have played their 2007-08 club football below the top flight.
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