Advertisement

Germany's Bellarabi, Badstuber out of Georgia qualifier

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany forward Karim Bellarabi and defender Holger Badstuber have been ruled out of their Euro 2016 qualifier in Georgia on Sunday, assistant coach Thomas Schneider said on Friday.

Schneider said Bayer Leverkusen's Bellarabi was out with a cold while Bayern Munich's Badstuber, who returned after a two-and-a-half year injury absence in their 2-2 draw against Australia on Wednesday, was nursing a muscle injury.

"It is nothing dramatic," Schneider told reporters. "For Holger it is near where he was operated on and it is a precautionary measure because he is part of our plans."

Germany have made an erratic start to the qualifiers, managing seven points from four games, as many as Ireland and Scotland, with Poland three clear at the top of Group D.

Schneider said keeper Manuel Neuer was back fit following a minor knee inflammation that saw him sit out Wednesday's friendly. Captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, rested as well, was also set to make his first appearance since the World Cup final.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)