Connect with us

Germany

Joachim Loew drops five players ahead of Germany’s Nations League games

Germany head coach Joachim Loew has trimmed his squad ahead of the forthcoming UEFA Nations League games against Ukraine and Switzerland respectively.

Loew had initially named a 28-man side for the internationals and a number of inexperienced players featured in the recent friendly against Turkey in Cologne.

The game saw Germany take the lead on three separate occasions, but each time, the visitors were able to comeback and that included a dramatic 94th-minute equaliser from Kenan Karaman.

Following the game, Die Mannschaft have confirmed that Benjamin Henrichs, Nico Schulz, Niklas Stark, Nadiem Amiri and Mahmoud Dahoud, who all featured in the friendly, have not made the 23-man squad to face Ukraine on the road.

Germany and Loew are still awaiting their first victory of 2020, having drawn their three matches this year. Meanwhile, the nation have yet to taste success in the Nations League.

In the inaugural edition of the competition in 2018, they finished at the bottom of their table behind Netherlands and France with just two points on the board.

In the current campaign, they have shared the spoils in the opening two games against Spain and Switzerland. The result against the former was a painful one, considering they conceded a late 95th-minute equaliser, which was scored by Jose Gaya.

For those matches, a number of Bayern Munich players in Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry were missing due to their extended run to the Champions League final.

The same was the case for the absence of Lukas Klostermann and Marcel Halstenberg, who played a key part in RB Leipzig’s run to their maiden semi-final in the elite club competition.

All six players are back in contention for the upcoming Nations League games and Germany will be hoping to end their wretched run in the competition.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen is the only major absentee for the 2014 World Cup holders. The 28-year-old, who is generally the deputy to captain Manuel Neuer in goal, is out for a few months following a knee surgery in August.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

More in Germany