Low recalls Bastian for Ireland game

Joachim Low has included Bastian Schweinsteiger in his 22 man Germany squad for next Friday’s game against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.  

That’s the only change in the German squad which got off to a flying start against the Faroe Islands and Austria last month, with Julian Drexler missing out after breaking his wrist in action for Schalke on Wednesday night.  

Schweinsteiger had been omitted from Low’s squad for September’s double-header but speaking to dfb.de, Low says his plan was always to bring his vice-captain back into the squad for these games.  

"We did not choose him last time for a reason and that was to give him a chance of peace and quiet to get back into a training and match rhythm," said Low.  "His performances with Bayern have shown that this was precisely the right choice. I am delighted that Bastian is back with us. It was always certain that Bastian would be in the squad for Ireland and Sweden."

Drexler picked up a nasty injury earlier in the week in the Champions League 2-2 draw between Schalke and Montpellier.  The 19 year old had opened the scoring in the game and after winning a penalty for his team picked up a wrist injury that forced him out of the squad and on to the sidelines."It is obviously a very bitter injury for Julian," said his national team manager. "We all wish him a speedy recovery."

Having been eliminated from UEFA Euro 2012 by Italy in the semi-final stage, Germany began their Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign with those back-to-back wins.  They opened their campaign with a 3-0 home win in Hannover over the Faroes, who Ireland will face in Torshavn on Tuesday week,  followed it up with a far from impressive 2-1 away win to neighbours Austria in Vienna.

Germany have never lost a World Cup qualifier away from home and have lost only two games in their qualification history.  This will be the 16^th time the teams have met. Germany have won seven of those games and Ireland five.  The Germans have also outscored the Irish by 25 goals to 21.  Their firepower in this squad includes Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski with 44 international goals and Lazio’s Miroslav Klose who has 64 international goals (just four goals behind all-time German record Gerd Muller)

Joachim Low’s side are ranked second in the current FIFA World rankings while Ireland dropped two places during the week to 28^th.  The German manager named unchanged starting teams for the previous double header in the wins against the Faroes and Austria. Real Madrid’s Mesut Ozil has scored three of Germany’s five goals so far in the qualifying matches for the next World Cup with Borussia Dortmund players, Marco Reus and Mario Gotze, scoring the other two goals.

There are five Dortmund players in the squad along with seven players from last year’s beaten Champions League finalists Bayern Munich.  Ron-Robert Zieler, who played in Dublin earlier in the year against St. Patrick’s Athletic for Hannover 96 in the Europa League qualifiers, is also named in the squad.

It is Germany’s first visit to Lansdowne Road since the 1-1 draw in 1989 when John Aldridge and Hans Dorfner were the goal scorers.  The last time they were in Dublin they played out a 0-0 draw in Croke Park.  

Having won their opening two games, Germany will be looking to maximise their early advantage in attempting to qualify for Brazil and Low knows what to expect from his team’s trip to Dublin.  "We have already laid the foundations for the qualification, but now it gets very serious," he said. "We know that we are favourites in the group and that is why we want to be successful in both of these games. We know what to expect in terms of the atmosphere in Dublin. The Irish will give everything in front of their own fans to beat us in their own stadium."

Germany squad for games against Ireland and Sweden:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegan (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ron-Rober Zieler (Hannover 96)

Defenders: Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke 04), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lam (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund)

Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Bayer Levekusen), Bastein Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forward: Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Miroslave Klose (Lazio)