Mike Hanke, playing in Bundesliga team VfL Wolfsburg, has been ruled out of Germany’s squad for their forthcoming European Championship qualifiers because of tonsilitis. The German Football Association said on Tuesday that the striker would not be replaced for the matches against Ireland in Stuttgart on Saturday and in San Marino four days later.

Germany coach Joachim Löw called up Alexander Madlung for the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers. The 24 years-old defender from German side VfL Wolfsburg replaced the injured Christoph Metzelder of Borussia Dortmund.

On Thursday Löw named a 20-man squad. Germany face Ireland in their Group D opener in Stuttgart on Saturday and then travel to San Marino four days later.

Löw is without three of his four World Cup 2006 central defenders for the start of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. Injuries to Per Mertesacker, Robert Huth and Jens Nowotny has forced Löw to rebuild his defence.

Additionally Christoph Metzelder announced on Sunday that he will miss both games due to a knee injury. After a morning training session at his club he still had problems with his right knee so doctors have agreed for a surgery on August 30.

However, Löw will have captain Michael Ballack …

Germany coach Joachim Löw on Thursday named a 20-man squad to face Ireland and San Marino in upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers. Germany face Ireland in their Group D opener in Stuttgart on September 2 and then travel to San Marino four days later.

Löw will be without three of his four World Cup central defenders for the start of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. Injuries to Per Mertesacker, Robert Huth and Jens Nowotny will force Löw to rebuild his defence. Christoph Metzelder, who missed Germany´s 3-0 victory over Sweden in a friendly last week, will, however, be back in the squad.

Loew, who opted not to nominate any new players for the first two Euro qualifiers in the first week of September, will also have captain Michael Ballack back in midfield. Ballack had missed the Sweden friendly with a hip injury.…

New Germany coach Joachim Löw enjoyed a winning start as his side trounced a hapless Sweden 3-0 in a friendly here on Wednesday.

It was the perfect beginning for Löw, who has just taken over from Jürgen Klinsmann after this summer’s World Cup, and the team will now be full of confidence for their first Euro 2008 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in Stuttgart on September 2.

Löw started with seven of the team that defeated Portugal 3-1 in the World Cup third-place play-off under Klinsmann’s regime and watched on as Germany raced into a two-goal lead after just eight minutes.

Bernd Schneider scored only his second international goal in the fourth minute after a clever cutback from Tim Borowksi. World Cup Golden Boot winner Miroslav Klose, who had just been presented with his German Player of the Year award before the game, then stole the limelight by taking advantage of some slack defending to bend in an eighth minute shot.

Sweden were shell-shocked – just like they were when Germany scored twice against them in the first 12 minutes of their round-of-16 World Cup match – and it got worse. Klose grabbed a second with a trademark header …

German international captain Michael Ballack will miss Germany’s friendly match with Sweden on Wednesday with a hip injury, the German Football Federation (DFB) confirmed on Sunday.

Ballack injured his left hip in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Community Shield final on Sunday and phoned Germany coach Joachim Löw afterwards to declare himself unfit for the Sweden match.

Since Christoph Metzelder and Sebastian Kehl from Borussia Dortmund are both unable to play because of knee injuries, Löw has called up defender Malik Fathi of Hertha BSC Berlin. 22-year-old Fathi has played 18 times for the Under-21 National team, but is uncapped for the Senior National team.…

Germany manager Joachim Löw has called up 27-year-old defender Manuel Friedrich of FSV Mainz 05 for the friendly match against Sweden on Wednesday. Friedrich is the only player in the German squad who did not participate at the FIFA World Cup 2006.

Friedrich got the chance to play due to injuries of defenders Robert Huth and Per Mertesacker. “The personal situation offers the possibility to give Manuel Friedrich a new chance. He played well last season and he missed the World Cup squad only by little”, Löw said.

The record against the Swedish team is quite balanced with 13 wins, seven draws and twelve losses in a total of 32 matches. The last encounter took place during the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup in Germany on June 24, 2006, when Lukas Podolski scored both goals in a 2-0 victory of the German team.

The match kicks-off at 8.45 CEST in Gelsenkirchen. Stay tuned to this page for the latest scores and news from the German Football Team.…

…