Germany’s Loew relaxed despite injuries

With his team almost assured of a place at Euro 2012, Germany coach Joachim Loew is relaxed about his side’s qualifier against minnows Azerbaijan today despite mounting injury problems.

Victory in Baku on the Caspian Sea would give Germany a ten-point lead at the top of Group A and would almost certainly mean a place at Euro 2012, to be hosted by Poland and Ukraine next June.

Germany left it late to beat Austria 2-1 in Vienna on Friday and a win in Baku would put them in an almost unassailable position at the top of the table.

With his team bidding to make it seven wins from seven, Loew flew from Vienna to Baku with a squad missing eight players, including first-choice stars Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose.

With a depleted midfield, Loew has called up Under-21 players Lewis Holtby, of Mainz, and Sebastian Rudy, of Hoffenheim, to complete his squad.

Despite having midfield problems, Loew has again ignored ex-captain Michael Ballack, who spent last season trying to hold down a regular place at Bayer Leverkusen.

Rudy has cut short a holiday in Italy to make the long trip to Azerbaijan, but Loew brushed off any injury concerns with his side on the verge of qualifying.

“Since we met up, eight players have now dropped out with injury,” he said.

“The situation as it is doesn’t concern me, I think we are in a decent position to play this game, even under these circumstances.”

Holtby, 20, is being tipped as a star for the future and despite his father hailing from Liverpool, he opted for the white shirt of Germany and made his debut last November in the draw with Sweden.

Rudy is uncapped at senior level and is hoping to play a role in Baku.

Today, little resistance is expected from Bertie Vogts-coached eastern European minnows as Azerbaijan lost 2-1 in Astana to Kazakhstan on Friday and only escape being bottom of Group A by virtue of a better goal difference.

Loew admits his side are feeling the effects of a long season and are facing the last of three end-of-season games having beaten Uruguay in a friendly and now Austria.

“The players have mainly been doing regeneration work since Friday,” he said.

“The batteries can’t recharge anymore, you can see they aren’t as resilient in training.”

Loew says he does not expect a ‘footballing treat’ in Baku and his side may well have to grind out a win, but after Bayern Munich hot-shot Mario Gomez netted twice in Vienna, the 25-year-old is in impressive form.

Group A

Playing today
Azerbaijan vs Germany - 19.00

September 2
Germany vs Austria
Turkey vs Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan vs Belgium

Group B

September 2
Russia vs Macedonia
Andorra vs Armenia
Ireland vs Slovakia

September 6
Slovakia vs Armenia
Macedonia vs Andorra
Russia vs Ireland

Group C

Playing today
Faroe Islands vs Estonia - 20.30

August 10
N. Ireland vs Faroe Islands

September 2
N. Ireland vs Serbia
Slovenia vs Estonia
Faroe Islands vs Italy

Group D

Playing today
Belarus vs Luxembourg - 19.00
Bosnia vs Albania - 20.15

September 2
Belarus vs Bosnia
Albania vs France
Luxembourg vs Romania

Group E

Playing today
Sweden vs Finland - 20.00
San Marino vs Hungary - 20.30

September 2
Finland vs Moldova
Hungary vs Sweden
Netherlands vs San Marino

Group F

September 2
Israel vs Greece
Georgia vs Latvia
Malta vs Croatia

September 6
Croatia vs Israel
Latvia vs Greece
Malta vs Georgia

Group G

September 2
Bulgaria vs England
Wales vs Montenegro

September 6
England vs Wales
Switzerland vs Bulgaria

Group H

September 2
Norway vs Iceland
Cyprus vs Portugal

September 6
Iceland vs Cyprus
Denmark vs Norway

Group I

September 2
Lithuania vs Liechtenstein

September 3
Scotland vs Czech Republic

September 6
Spain vs Liechtenstein
Scotland vs Lithuania