Coach Loew calls up two newcomers to Germany squad

Berlin (dpa) – Germany coach Joachim Loew has called up newcomers Mahmoud Dahoud (Borussia Dortmund) and Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Moenchengladbach) in a 29-man squad on Friday.

The national team host a friendly game against Turkey in Cologne on October 7 and then play two Nations League fixtures in Ukraine (October 10) and against Switzerland (October 13, also in Cologne).

“We have three games in seven days, this is demanding and reminds me of a tournament,” Loew said. “It’s a challenge considering the individual burden control of the players.”

Loew explained he called up an expanded squad in order to dose the program of each player and have enough options for the three upcoming games.

Hofmann, 28, is a winger who has established himself with Gladbach after joining from Dortmund in 2016. He earned 10 caps for Germany at under-21 level.

The 24-year-old Syrian-born Dahoud made the reverse switch from Gladbach to Dortmund three years ago but has not always been able to secure a first team birth in a packed midfield.

He too has Germany youth experience having played from the U17s to winning the U21 European Championship in 2017.

As expected recently spared Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry, and RB Leipzig’s Marcel Halstenberg and Lukas Klostermann return to the squad.

Alongside Niklas Suele they will only feature in the Nations League games. The same applies to Toni Kroos, who was called up despite being diagnosed with an injury to the left gluteus muscle on September 28.

“The players will arrive in two different stages and I basically plan to play with two different teams,” Lowe said.

“Bayern and Leipzig players, as well as Toni Kroos, will join us one day later. I’m not planning to play them against Turkey. After this game I will then decide who is travelling to Kiev.”

Loew also addressed the concerns from the clubs given a rising number of Covid-19 infections and more countries and regions named high risk areas.

“Regarding the coronavirus pandemic we will again meticulously take all measures to keep the risk of infection as low as possible,” the coach said.

“We understand the clubs are worried, but as the coach of a national team I don’t just see the club’s perspective, but also the player’s and above all our own goals.”

Out of the squad due to injury are goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Leroy Sane (Bayern) and Thilo Kehrer (Paris Saint-Germain). Manchester City’s Ilkay Guendogan is also not part of the squad as he tested positive for the coronavirus.

Germany squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Bernd Leno (Arsenal), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)

DEFENDERS: Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Robin Gosens (Atalanta), Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig), Benjamin Henrichs (Leipzig), Lukas Klostermann (Leipzig), Robin Koch (Leeds), Antonio Ruediger (Chelsea), Nico Schulz (Dortmund), Niklas Stark (Hertha Berlin), Niklas Suele (Bayern), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)

MIDFIELDERS/STRIKERS: Nadiem Amiri (Leverkusen), Julian Brandt (Dortmund), Mahmoud Dahoud (Dortmund), Julian Draxler (Paris Saint-Germain), Serge Gnabry (Bayern), Leon Goretzka (Bayern), Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Jonas Hofmann (Moenchengladbach), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Florian Neuhaus (Moenchengladbach), Suat Serdar (Schalke), Luca Waldschmidt (Benfica), Timo Werner (Chelsea)