Football: No late call-ups for injury-hit Germany

FRANKFURT (REUTERS) - Germany have enough strength in depth and coach Joachim Loew will not call up reinforcements for their Euro 2016 qualifier in Poland on Saturday despite a growing injury list, assistant coach Thomas Schneider said.

Midfielder Mesut Oezil, ruled out on Wednesday for three months with a knee ligament tear, was the latest starting player to drop out of the Poland game and the qualifier against Ireland next week.

Schneider said there was still enough quality in the World Cup winners' squad.

"Regarding late nominations for the game, we have nothing planned," he told reporters on Thursday.

"We are satisfied with the existing squad and we have 16 (infield) players at our disposal." "It is bitter for Mesut and for us but it changes nothing as our task is to travel to Poland on Saturday and win the game," said the former Stuttgart coach.

Oezil joins injured captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marco Reus, Benedikt Hoewedes, Sami Khedira, Marcel Schmelzer and Mario Gomez on the sidelines for both qualifiers. "Mesut is not the only one missing," Schneider said. "I think we still have enough quality to compensate this loss.

"Obviously it would be a different story if we had every player but we should not complain about it. It is part of our job and a chance for some players who are a bit in the background to make a case for themselves."

Germany, who like Poland won their opening Group D game, host Ireland in Gelsenkirchen next week.

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