Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala have left Germany’s squad with muscle injuries, forcing Jürgen Klopp to bring forward two call-ups before Sunday’s Nations League match against Greece.
The German football federation confirmed their absences Friday, according to AFP. Havertz sustained a muscle strain during Thursday’s 1–1 Nations League draw with the Netherlands, while a scan revealed a tear in Musiala’s thigh after he withdrew during the warm-up.
Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Burkardt have joined the squad earlier than planned for the game in Augsburg. Klopp had divided a 44-player selection into two groups for four international fixtures, with the Liverpool midfielder and Eintracht Frankfurt striker initially assigned to the later matches.
Havertz left the Amsterdam match during the first half and was replaced by Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib. Get German Football News reported that the Arsenal player’s problem affected the back of his left thigh. The federation did not give a return date.
Musiala had been named in the starting lineup before his injury forced a late change, with Nadiem Amiri taking his place. The Bayern Munich attacker has returned to his club for treatment, leaving Klopp without two of his original attacking selections.
Sky Germany has put Musiala’s possible absence at three to four weeks, Get German Football News reported. The federation has not announced an official recovery timetable for either player, leaving Arsenal and Bayern to assess their availability after the international break.
The injuries accompanied a mixed opening result for Klopp, whose team conceded a late equalizer after leading through Felix Nmecha. Speaking to the DFB after the draw, the coach praised his players’ intensity but said Germany had surrendered too much possession when the Netherlands applied pressure.
“There were plenty of positives that I can work with,” Klopp said in the DFB interview. He also identified tactical understanding and movement without the ball as areas requiring work as Germany adapts to his approach.
Germany faces Serbia on October 1 and Greece again on October 4 during the extended international window. Wirtz and Burkardt had been assigned to those later fixtures before the injuries brought them into Sunday’s squad.
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This page is an original Sporting Page summary. The reporting remains with AFP: confirmed absences.
Read at AFP: confirmed absences
