Germany to test new-look squad in friendly

AN experimental Germany side will be warming up for a World Cup qualifier and the forthcoming Confederations Cup when they take on Denmark in a friendly international in the Brondby Stadium today.

Coach Joachim Low has six newcomers in a squad without most of his top stars including Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira of Juventus who can now rest following Champions League final action on Saturday.

The world champions take on minnows San Marino in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday in Nuremberg which should be a formality along the way to qualifying for next year’s World Cup finals in Russia.

They then leave for the Confederations Cup in Russia, a first taste of what to expect at the World Cup next year for Low.

The coach is using the tournament to try out some uncapped players and others with only a handful of caps, with the Denmark test a first opportunity to see how they fare in what will be an unfamiliar line-up.

While Germany have a 100% record at the top of Group C, Denmark under Norwegian coach Aage Hareide are struggling six points behind Poland in Group E ahead of a visit to Kazakhstan on Saturday.

The World Cup is the top prior- ity for Low who has also rested among others Mesut Ozil, Mats Hummels, Thomas Muller and Jerome Boateng. Captain Manuel Neuer, Mario Gotze, Benedikt Hoewedes and Ilkay Guendogan are injured while Marco Reus and Mario Gomez were not picked.

Into the squad has come Hoffenheim striker Sandro Wagner and his teammate Kerem Demirbay, Lars Stindl of Borussia Monchengladbach, Hertha Berlin’s Marvin Plattenhardt, Amin Younes of Dutch club Ajax and RB Leipzig’s Diego Demme.

Leipzig’s Timo Werner, Benjamin Henrichs of Bayer Leverkusen and Niklas Suele of Hoffenhaim have just one cap apiece.

Low is hoping some of these will put the pressure on established players in the coming 12 months, starting with the eight-nation Confederations Cup, which begins on June 17.

“The aim for me is to get three or four, perhaps even five, players through this tournament and next season to a point where they can put pressure on our established players when it comes to the (World Cup) title in 2018,” he said.

Denmark will meanwhile be without first-choice keeper Kasper Schmeichel, who has a thigh injury and will also miss the trip to Kazakhstan. Brondby’s Frederik Ronnow steps in. – dpa