Germany coach Joachim Loew says his priority is getting captain Bastian Schweinsteiger and key defender Mats Hummels fit for Euro 2016, following Saturday’s 2-0 confidence-boosting friendly win over Hungary.
Schweinsteiger played the last 23 minutes in Gelsenkirchen after three months sidelined by a torn medial knee ligament, while Hummels is out with a calf tear.
Manchester United star Schweinsteiger admits he is unlikely to play the full 90 minutes of Germany’s opening Group C game at Euro 2016 against Ukraine in Lille on June 12 before facing Poland four days later, then Northern Ireland on June 21.
Hummels has said he does not expect to be fit until at least their second game against Poland in Paris on June 16.
“He hasn’t got any playing rhythm at the moment, so we’ll have to see,” said Loew when asked if Schweinsteiger will play in the world champions opening game.
“We have to see how Hummels gets on.”
But Loew is confident both Sami Khedira and Jerome Boateng, who had to be treated on the pitch in Gelsenkirchen, will be fit to face Ukraine.
“We took Sami Khedira off at the start of the second half as a precaution, Boateng had a pressed nerve, but was able to play on,” added Loew.
Germany’s head coach was pleased to leave Gelsenkirchen with no significant injuries.
Just as he did for the 2014 World Cup, Loew had to strike off winger Marco Reus from his final squad last Tuesday, this time with a groin injury after torn ankle ligaments ruled the Borussia Dortmund winger out of Brazil.
This was the first time Germany had kept a clean sheet in the last year and Loew was grateful for the win after an experimental side was humbled 3-1 by Slovakia in Augsburg last Sunday.
“It was important to keep them down to nil, the win gives us a bit of stability and a good feeling for next week,” added Loew.
A first-half own-goal by Hungary defender Adam Lang and a second from Thomas Mueller sealed the Germans’ win, but the biggest boost was seeing Schweinsteiger play his first football since injury in March.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate