Neuer on track to regain full fitness
Germany custodian coping with training intensity after long layoff, says Loew
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is on track to regain full fitness in time for next month's World Cup after recovering from a foot injury that has sidelined him for most of the season, national coach Joachim Loew said yesterday.
Speaking at the start of a training camp in northern Italy ahead of the tournament, Loew sounded confident that the 32-year-old Germany captain, part of his 2014 World Cup-winning team, would play in Russia.
Neuer has not played since breaking a bone in his foot back in September that required surgery, putting the Bayern Munich goalkeeper's chances of making the Finals in doubt.
"He trained a week at Bayern, here he is training fully and can also deal with the intensity level," Loew said.
"We will see from day-to-day. If he has the feeling that he is at 100 per cent, then he can be there in Russia.
"Should there be any problems, we would need to discuss it. But as things stand, he has no problems whatsoever and things look good."
Loew is also expecting to have Jerome Boateng back in the squad later this week as the central defender has recovered from a groin injury suffered last month.
"Everything is going according to plan and, by next week, I expect him to be taking part in training," said the 58-year-old coach, who this month extended his contract to 2022.
The Germans are preparing for the fourth time in Eppan, high in the Italian Alps, with Loew praising the conditions for his players as they get ready for their title defence.
"We have the best conditions here, proximity to the pitch, a good hotel, the pitch is in a very good state, short travel times, so everything to have a good preparation."
Germany will remain in Italy until June 5, a day after the deadline for the final squad announcement. Loew has taken 27 players to the training camp, with four facing the cut.
The Germans will travel to play a warm-up match away to Austria in Klagenfurt on June 2 before returning to Italy and then going home to face Saudi Arabia in Leverkusen six days later.
ON A GOOD RUN
The Germans are setting their sights on retaining their title, becoming the first team in more than half a century to do so.
Die Mannschaft have lost just once in 23 games since their Euro 2016 semi-final defeat, cruising through the qualifiers with 10 wins in 10 matches and conceding just four goals in the process to advance to the World Cup.
Loew also had the luxury of being able to field a second-string team at last year's Confederations Cup and still come away with the title, further adding to an already deep German bench.
The coach, in charge for his third World Cup, has a pool of at least three dozen players to choose from before his Group F campaign against Mexico, Sweden and South Korea. - REUTERS
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