Germany and Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger looks to have won his fitness battle ahead of Euro 2016, but Marco Reus will miss the tournament through injury. The latter joins Bayer Leverkusen duo Karim Bellarabi and Julian Brandt, and Hoffenheim midfielder Sebastian Rudy as the unlucky quartet axed from Joachim Lows provisional group following confirmation of his 23-man squad for the tournament on Tuesday (31 May).
Reus absence will come as a particular blow after the Borussia Dortmund forward, who turns 27 today, was also forced to miss the successful 2014 World Cup campaign due to an ankle ligament tear suffered in a pre-competition friendly against Armenia. He made 44 appearances across all competitions this season as BVB finished runners-up in the Bundesliga and lost to reigning champions Bayern Munich in the final of the DFB-Pokal.
In Marco Reus case, the medical staff couldnt give us a clear prognosis, Low revealed. Marco has serious fitness problems; he can only run in a straight line at the moment. The doctors are sceptical that he would be able to give his all in these demanding games at this demanding tournament in the coming weeks.
It was a painful decision for both us and him and a real disappointment for everyone. A fit Marco Reus in good form would have been a huge asset for our team.
There was better news for captain Schweinsteiger, who initially emerged as a major doubt to lead the team in France due to a partial tear of his medial collateral ligament sustained in training two months ago. That was the second knee problem to afflict the 31-year-old this year and prevented him from making any further appearances for United in 2015/16. However, hopes that he would recover in time to feature at the Euros were boosted last week when he informed reporters at a press conference held following Germanys arrival at their training camp in Ascona, Switzerland that he was fine and that his rehabilitation was progressing right on schedule.
Mats Hummels, who will rejoin Bayern from Dortmund on a five-year contract this summer, picked up a muscle fibre tear in his calf last week but is expected to return at some point during the initial group phase. Current teammate Ilkay Gundogan, meanwhile, was ruled out in May due to a dislocated kneecap.
Die Mannschaft have one final warm-up meeting left with Hungary before they travel to their tournament base in Evian. They open their Group C account against Mykhaylo Fomenkos Ukraine at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on Sunday 12 June before facing Poland and Northern Ireland in Paris.
Germanys confirmed 23-man squad for Euro 2016
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Bernd Leno, Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Defenders: Jerome Boateng, Emre Can, Jonas Hector, Benedikt Hoewedes, Mats Hummels, Shkodran Mustafi, Antonio Rudiger
Midfielders: Julian Draxler, Mario Gotze, Sami Khedira, Joshua Kimmich, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil, Leroy Sane, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Julian Weigl
Forwards: Mario Gomez, Thomas Muller, Lukas Podolski, Andre Schurrle
