Eurosport - Tue, 25 Mar 11:21:00 2008
Germany coach Joachim Loew has told defender Robert Huth he can still make his country's Euro 2008 squad despite another injury setback.
The Middlesbrough player was last week handed his first international call-up in almost two years but has been forced to pull out of Wednesday's friendly against Switzerland in Basel after damaging his left foot in training.
"Our doctors looked at him and decided he couldn't play," Loew said. "It's not a long-term injury though. He looks like he will be out for around ten to 15 days."
Loew has said that Wednesday's match will be Germany's last before he unveils his final Euro 2008 squad on May 16.
"Huth's chances are still intact though. We have analysed his recent games in England and seen some very good defensive performances, even against strong opponents like Arsenal.
"I have explained to him that door is not closed and we will see how he gets on over the next few weeks."
Capped 17 times as a Chelsea player before joining Boro in 2006, Huth has struggled with injury and form since his last international at the 2006 World Cup.
Loew has not called up any replacement for Huth and said he would instead rely on either Arne Friedrich or Heiko Westermann to partner Per Mertesacker in central defence.
"Westermann is a trained central defender even if he is playing wide for Schalke at the moment. I don't have any concerns about the defence," Loew said.
Wednesday's match is already guaranteed to be a memorable occasion for the Germans as they mark the anniversary of their first ever international match, also played in Basel against Switzerland almost exactly a century ago in April 1908.
This week's reprise will also be Germany's 800th international game and their 50th against Switzerland.
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Borussia Dortmund striker Alex Frei is set to play his first international match in just over a year after being named in the Swiss squad.
Frei, who was out of action for seven months last year after undergoing a hip and calf operation, was among 21 players selected by Switzerland coach Koebi Kuhn.
The 28-year-old forward, who is just two goals short of equalling Kubilay Tuerkyilmaz's all-time Swiss goal-scoring record, last played for Switzerland in a friendly against Colombia on March 25, 2007. He resumed playing for Dortmund last month.
The friendly against Germany will be played in Basel, one of the eight host cities for Euro 2008.
Switzerland are co-hosting the June tournament with neighbouring Austria and have been drawn in the same group as Turkey, Portugal and the Czech Republic.
Squad:Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (Wolfsburg), Fabio Coltorti (Racing Santander), Pascal Zuberbuehler (Neuchatel Xamax) Defenders: Valon Behrami (Lazio), Mario Eggimann (Karlsruhe), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Lille), Ludovic Magnin (Stuttgart), Philippe Senderos (Arsenal), Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt), Steve von Bergen (Hertha Berlin) Midfielders: Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen), Gelson Fernandes (Manchester City), Daniel Gygax (Metz), Benjamin Huggel (Basel), Goekhan Inler (Udinese), Johan Vonlanthen (Salzburg), Hakan Yakin (Young Boys Berne), Reto Ziegler (Sampdoria) Forwards: Eren Derdiyok (Basel), Alex Frei (Borussia Dortmund), Blaise Nkufo (FC Twente)
Reuters