No Neuer still as Germany name WCQ squad

Aug 25, 2017 - 11:27 AM Captain Manuel Neuer has been left out of the Germany squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Czech Republic and Norway.

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper has not played since breaking his foot in April and national team boss Joachim Low said he wants the 31-year-old to build-up his match fitness with his club before returning to the international set-up.

Low's 24-strong squad contains 17 members of the party which won the Confederations Cup, with Mats Hummels, Thomas Muller, Mario Gomez, Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil and Serge Gnabry the additions.

Forward Gnabry, on loan at Hoffenheim from Bayern, is the only member of Germany's European Under-21 Championship-winning squad in the party.

Neuer's absence means Bayer Leverkusen's Leno and Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen are set to battle for the starting spot in goal.

"So early in the season players have not yet found their rhythm, so therefore one or other is missing, for example our captain Manuel Neuer, with whom we discussed that he will first build up more match practice at Bayern Munich," Low said.

Germany take on the Czechs in Prague next Friday before hosting Norway in Stuttgart three days later.

"The players know what I expect from them and they are aware of tough competition (within the squad)," Low said.

Germany top World Cup qualifying group C by five points from Northern Ireland, having won all of their opening six games.

Germany squad:

Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Paris Saint-Germain)

Defenders: Matthias Ginter (Gladbach), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Benjamin Henrichs (Leverkusen), Mats Hummels (Bayern), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Niklas Sule (Bayern)

Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Leverkusen), Emre Can (Liverpool), Julian Draxler (PSG), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern), Amin Younes (Ajax)

Forwards: Serge Gnabry (Hoffenheim), Mario Gomez (Wolfsburg), Thomas Muller (Bayern), Lars Stindl (Gladbach), Timo Werner (Leipzig).

Source: AAP