Loew calls up uncapped pair for Brazil friendly

Germany coach Joachim Loew yesterday called up uncapped midfielders Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus and eight Bayern Munich players in his squad for next week’s friendly against Brazil.

Germany face the south American giants in Stuttgart on Wednesday and Loew has summoned up rising 20-year-old star Gundogan, who is set to make his Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund today.

Promising 21-year-old Reus, from Borussia M’gladbach, is the other uncapped call-up, but both Real Madrid stars Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira have been left out after touring with the Spanish club.

“I have telephoned both of them and explained why we have left them out of the squad this time,” said Loew.

“After their travels to the USA and China with Real Madrid, they get back to Europe on Sunday after a 14-hour plane journey.

“Due to these pressures, it makes more sense for them to continue their preparations in Spain and we will call them up for the international matches in September.”

Having transferred from Nuremberg in the summer, Gundogan is a name to watch in the German league having caught Loew’s eye and has already been capped at various levels by Germany’s youth teams.

“Ilkay has developed and has performed really well in Dortmund’s pre-season matches,” said Loew.

“He is a technically gifted talent with a high-level of match intelligence.”

Apart from Gundogan there are very few other surprises in the Germany squad with the bulk of the Bayern team being chosen.

As well as captain Philipp Lahm, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Thomas Mueller, striker Mario Gomez and defenders Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng have been named.

Stuttgart’s Cacau has been called up to face the country of his ancestors at his home club while veteran striker Miroslav Klose is the only overseas player named.

The clash will be the first meeting of the two nations since June, 2005, when Brazil beat their hosts 3-2 in a Confederations Cup semi-final in Nuremberg.

Germany have not beaten Brazil since a 2-1 win in Cologne in 1993.

In 20 meetings between the teams, Germany have won just three times, with five draws and 12 defeats.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Neuer (B. Munich), Wiese (W. Bremen).

Defenders: Aogo (Hamburg), Badstuber (B. Munich), Boateng (B. Munich), Hoewedes (Schalke), Hummels (B. Dortmund), Lahm (Bayern Munich), Traesch (Wolfsburg)

Midfielders: Bender (B. Dortmund), Cacau (Stuttgart), Goetze (B. Dortmund), Gundogan (B. Dortmund), Kroos (Bayern Munich), Mueller (B. Munich), Podolski (Cologne), Reus (B. Moenchengladbach), Rolfes (B. Leverkusen), Schuerrle (B. Leverkusen), Schweinsteiger (B. Munich).

Forwards: Gomez (Bayern Munich), Klose (Lazio).