Bastian Schweinsteiger is back to full fitness and ready to start the semi-final against Italy, Germany coach Joachim Low has said.

Schweinsteiger had been suffering a niggling ankle problem but was able to take a full part in training on Monday. Although he played in the 4-2 quarter-final win against Greece on Friday, Low said the midfielder had fallen short of his usual standards.…

Coach Joachim Low has hinted that he is considering starting Miroslav Klose against Netherlands.

Bayern Munich star Mario Gomez was selected to start Germany’s opening game against Portugal and rewarded Low’s faith with the only goal of the match.

However, many had expected Lazio striker Klose, who has scored 63 goals in 117 appearances for the national side, to begin the game, and Gomez was criticised in the media by former Germany star Mehmet Scholl.…

Löw announced his squad one day early Monday, with the quartet flying back to Germany immediately.

The national coach, who took a 27-man squad into two training camps in Sardinia and France, will explain his choices on Tuesday when he will be working with his final group in the build-up to their first match of the tournament against Portugal on June 9.

Stuttgart striker Cacau is a surprise exclusion as Löw now takes only three forwards with him to Poland and Ukraine – Mario Gomez, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski.…

Joachim Löw has named the 27 players who will travel with the German national soccer team to training camp ahead of the European Championship, which starts next month in Poland and Ukraine.

With just over a month to go until Germany’s debut at the Euro 2012 on June 9 against Portugal in Lviv, Ukraine, head coach Joachim Löw announced the 27 men that will initially make the trip to the team’s training camp, which gets underway on Friday in Sardinia.

The final squad that actually makes the trip to the Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine will have 23 players. That list of names has to be submitted by May 29.…

Coach Joachim Löw has insisted his side have nothing to fear ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against World Cup finalists the Netherlands in Hamburg as they look to finish 2011 in style.

After winning all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and humbling Brazil in an August friendly, Löw is looking for Germany’s first win over the Dutch since 1996 in what will be his 75th international as national team coach.…

Germany captain Philipp Lahm will be rested for the friendly games in Ukraine (November, 11th) and against Netherlands in Hamburg (November, 15th) later this month after a busy year for club and country, coach Joachim Löw said on Friday.

Löw said Bayern München’s Lahm had played a lot of 90-minute games and deserved a break. “That is why he gets a rest and I get the chance to test alternatives for the left back position,” Löw said in a statement.

Germany qualified for the Euro 2012 finals in style after winning all 10 of their qualifiers. Löw also gave Bayern München’s keeper Manuel Neuer a one-game break and will use substitutes Tim Wiese and Ron-Robert Zieler against Ukraine.

First choice keeper Neuer will be back in the fold against the Dutch four days later. “We want to finish this successful year on a positive note,” Löw said. “It is also important to play in Ukraine and get experience ahead of the tournament next year.”…

Germany coach Joachim Loew has excused midfielder Mario Goetze for the final European Championship qualifier against Belgium on Tuesday.

“Goetze had a lot of games last season and has a lot coming up (for Borussia Dortmund) so we simply decided to give him a bit of a rest,” Loew’s assistant Hansi Flick said Sunday.

Germany tops Group A and has already qualified for next year’s tournament with nine wins from nine games. …

Germany coach Joachim Loew has a potential headache ahead of Friday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Turkey in Istanbul with both key strikers Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose struggling to be fit.

Veteran Klose, who plays for Lazio, broke off training on Wednesday with a painful knee, while Bayern Munich’s Gomez is struggling with a groin strain.

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