‘Germany can cope without Schweinsteiger’
Ballack to miss rest of 2010
Germany can cope without chief playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger for tomorrow’s key Euro 2012 qualifier against Turkey, according to team manager Oliver Bierhoff.
Germany are top of Group A with two wins from two after beating Belgium and Azerbaijan in last month’s qualifiers, but will be without Bayern Munich’s Schweinsteiger after he damaged ankle ligaments last weekend.
The national side are already without captain, and knee-injury victim, Michael Ballack, for the match at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium and the team will be led by Bayern defender Philipp Lahm, also skipper at the World Cup.
After the match against Turkey, Germany fly to Astana to play Kazakhstan in their last Euro 2012 qualifier of the year.
“We have always managed to compensate for injuries such as that of Michael Ballack,” Bierhoff said.
“But it will make things difficult against Turkey as a good midfield partnership has been torn apart.
“Schweinsteiger, alongside Sami Khedira, really played well at the World Cup.”
Germany finished third at the World Cup and with several of their side struggling for form at their respective Bundesliga clubs, Bierhoff says the exertions in South Africa can no longer be used as an excuse by the media.
“Of course, the national players have had a tough year, but to use the World Cup as an explanation for poor performances is too easy and wrong,” he said.
“Certainly, the workload was great. But in the internationals after the World Cup, our players were motivated and fit.”
Ballack, meanwhile, is not expected to play football again in 2010 after it was revealed his injury was worse than first thought.
The 34-year-old fractured the tibia just below his left knee in a Bundesliga match against Hanover last month, but a further examination has revealed more bad news.
The defensive midfielder now needs to wear a protective cast for the next four to six weeks to allow the injury to heal.
“The injury is more serious than thought and as a result Michael will be unavailable until the end of the year,” said his club Bayer Leverkusen in a statement.
Ballack picked up the injury on only his third game back after damaging ligaments in his right ankle last May which kept him out of the World Cup finals.