Germany arrived in Bucharest for their second World Cup qualifier against Romania on Sunday without Bayern Munich defender Niklas Suele, who misses out with a muscle problem.
The 25-year-old Sule will also be unavailable for Wednesday’s match at home to North Macedonia, the German federation DFB said on Saturday, which concludes the opening qualifying triple-header, DPA news reports.
Sule already sat out Thursday’s 3-0 win over Iceland in Duisburg but will not recover in time for the next matches.
That leaves coach Joachim Loew with a squad of 18 outfield players and two goalkeepers which could be cut further as he revealed to reporters Suele’s Bayern team-mates Leon Goretzka und Leroy Sane were doubts.
Goretzka has a “bit of a problem in the calf” while Sane has a hamstring issue but has a better chance of making it.
“I will wait until early tomorrow on how things develop,” Loew said of his eventual team selection. Should Goretzka not play, Florian Neuhaus of Borussia Moenchengladbach or Bayern teenager Jamal Musiala could start
In defence Loew is likely to keep the back four that faced Iceland, Lukas Klostermann, Matthias Ginter, Antonio Ruediger and Emre Can, in front of captain Manuel Neuer. Atalanta Robin Gosens is also out, according to Loew, with muscle problems.
“Romania are a very different kind of team than Iceland,” said Loew. “They are more attack-minded than Iceland were the other night. It will be a different kind of challenge for us.”
Romania needed a late goal to edge North Macedonia 3-2 in their opening game but Joshua Kimmich insisted there was no room for complacency.
“Only the first-placed team qualifies directly, so every game is crucial – tomorrow’s included,” the Bayern star said.
“Romania are a bit better on the ball – a little more technical. We need to be alert to that at all times.”
The travelling party were tested for the coronavirus three times on Friday and Saturday with two quick tests and one PCR test per person all returning negative.
Gladbach winger Jonas Hofmann tested positive for the coronavirus prior to the Iceland game while RB Leipzig defender Marcel Halstenberg also went into self-isolation as he was deemed to be a grade one contact.