AL-SHAMAL (QATAR), 22 Nov. (dpa/EP) –
The winger Leroy Sané will be out this Wednesday (2:00 p.m.) against Japan in Group E of the World Cup in Qatar, due to discomfort in his right knee, the German Football Federation (DFB) announced on Tuesday.
The Bayern player was the only one absent from training for the German team, with the other 25 ‘healthy’ footballers preparing on the pitch at the German base in the city of Al-Shamal. Germany will be Spain’s rival in the second group game this Sunday (8:00 p.m.).
Flick could substitute Sané for the veteran Thomas Muller in the debut of the ‘Mannschaft’ in the tournament. However, there is the more conservative option of incorporating another midfielder, with Ilkay Gündogan, from Manchester City, or Leon Goretzka, from Bayern, as the main candidates to accompany Joshua Kimmich. Also available, after recovering from a slight injury, is center-back Antonio Rüdiger.