Schweinsteiger to miss friendlies with knee injury

Manchester United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger has re-injured his right knee while on duty with Germany and will miss their forthcoming friendlies against England and Italy, it was confirmed yesterday.
The 31-year-old midfielder suffered the injury training in Berlin on Tuesday and an MRI scan in Munich with the German team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt revealed he has again torn the medial ligament.
He now faces a race to be fit for June’s European championships and it is questionable whether he will play again for United this season.
The news is another blow for Germany’s captain, who had been working his way back to fitness tearing the same ligament in United’s FA Cup third-round win over Sheffield Wednesday at the start of the year.
He had made four second-half appearances off the bench in United’s last four games.
Schweinsteiger misses Germany’s home friendly against England at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Saturday, then against Italy four days later at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
“It’s the medial ligament again,” Germany coach Joachim Loew confirmed in Wednesday’s press conference.
“I can’t say at the moment for how long he will be out for.”
Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, who has injured his left ankle, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Karim Bellarabi, who has a bruised foot, are also on the walking wounded list for Germany.
Germany’s squad has already been trimmed from 27 to 25 with Schweinsteiger injured and Wolfsburg’s Max Kruse having been thrown out of the squad on Monday for two off-field discretions.
“I thought he needed to be taught a lesson,” Loew said about Kruse, who lost 75,000 euros ($83,970) in a taxi and got into an argument with a reporter in separate incidents.
“It is only for the two games, so it doesn’t mean he has no chance for the European championships. “Perhaps he’ll learn for this and we’ll keep an eye on what he gets up to away from football, just like the rest of the squad.
“But I couldn’t accept things the way they were.”
In the wake of the Brussels terror attacks on Tuesday, security will be paramount for the internationals in Berlin and Munich. Germany’s final friendlies of 2015 coincided with the November Paris terror attacks.
Their defeat to France at the Stade de France was overshadowed by the terrible scenes across the French capital on November 13 four days before Germany’s home friendly against the Netherlands was called off on police.
“The events (in Brussels) are certainly terrible and have hit a bit of a nerve with us,” said Loew.
“When you hear and read about what happened, the images from France (November’s Paris attacks) come to mind.
“But we’re trying not to let these things get to us.
“We’re focused on the sporting matter at hand and trust in the security arrangements.”
Loew says the Germans are relishing testing themselves against two top European teams.
“We deliberatley chose two strong opponents. Matches against England and Italy are never normal games,” he said.
“We chose a large squad on purpose, so that each player has the chance to make his mark with his performance.
“Then we’ll have a bit of clarity, it’s the last time we’ll come together before the squad (for the Euro 2016 finals) is named.”

Focus on football, not terror as Italy prepare for Spain, says Florenzi
Fearless Alessandro Florenzi insists Azzurri minds will be on football, and not the threat of terror attacks, as they continue their Euro 2016 preparations with friendlies against Spain and Germany.
Italy host European champions Spain in Udine today before travelling to Munich to face world champions Germany on Tuesday.
The terror attacks which took place in Belgium have prompted fears the Euro 2016 in France could be a key target for terrorists, as well as suggestions some games could be played behind closed doors.
“The Euros is a competition that should be bringing joy and smiles, not fear, to the people coming to watch it,” Florenzi told media from Italy’s Coverciano training ground on Tuesday.
“All we can do is try to not be apprehensive and focus only on this.”
Italy coach Antonio Conte, meanwhile, is poring over which of his 28 squad players he should start against Vincente Del Bosque’s formidable visitors at the Stadio Friuli on Thursday.
Conte received flak for naming such a large squad, the former Juventus handler notably calling Brazil-born Napoli midfielder Jorginho and Fiorentina forward Federico Bernardeschi up for the first time while recalling Paris Saint Germain midfielder Thiago Motta to the squad for the first time since before the 2014 World Cup.
But the 46-year-old Conte was quick to justify his decision.
“These two games and the training sessions we’re doing will help me to test certain players and see whether some, like Thiago Motta, can play a role for us at some point,” said Conte, who announced last week he will stand down from his post after the tournament. Conte is missing a key element in PSG midfielder Marco Verratti (groin), while Torino striker Ciro Immobile (thigh tendon) is also out.