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Germany’s Boateng out of Spain friendly
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GERMANY defender Jerome Boateng is the latest World Cup winner to pull out of tomorrow’s friendly against Spain in Vigo as head coach Joachim Loew’s injury list mounts.
Center-back Boateng has pulled out with a calf injury and joins Bayern Munich teammate Manuel Neuer, who cried off on Saturday with a knee injury, in missing out in the friendly against the European champion.
Loew has called up uncapped VfL Wolfsburg defender Robin Knoche, 22, as Boateng’s replacement, but will have only 11 of his 23-man squad which won the World Cup in Brazil four months ago.
He is already without midfielders Christoph Kramer, Andre Schuerrle, and Bastian Schweinsteiger leaving only five first-choice players, in Sami Khedira, Benedikt Hoewedes, Mario Goetze, Toni Kroos and Thomas Mueller, in Loew’s squad.
Out of the 23-man squad originally selected, there are just 17 fit outfield players and two goalkeepers for Germany’s last international of 2014.
However, Loew has demanded Germany improve for the friendly after slamming another poor performance by the world champion as its post-Brazil hangover continued.
Germany posted a 4-0 win over minnow Gibraltar in Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier, but the impressive scoreline failed to mask another ineffective display from Loew’s team following last month’s shock defeat by Poland and draw with Ireland.
“We must show that we can still bring a positive end to the World Cup year with a different performance and a different tension (against Spain),” insisted Loew. “There have been many tributes and celebrations, but we have to free our minds and draw a line (under the World Cup) by the end of the year.
“A few players will perhaps be happy when the World Cup year is finally over. It was to be expected that there would be a drop in tempo after such a big success and that the players would be mentally tired.
“(Against Spain), we want to once again show what we’re made of and, possibly, to win, but it’s certainly not a revenge for our previous defeats (in the Euro 2008 final and World Cup 2010 semifinal).”
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