Germany will be without five first-choice players for Wednesday's international friendly against France in Paris after striker Miroslav Klose became the latest withdrawal.
Klose joined the list of walking wounded on Monday and Germany coach Joachim Loew called up Dortmund defensive midfielder Sven Bender, who has won three caps, as cover.
The 34-year-old Klose has been ruled out after visiting the German team doctor in Munich on Monday where it was revealed he tore a ligament in his right knee during Lazio's 3-2 Serie A defeat to Genoa on Sunday.
Klose joins vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, plus Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus, Mario Goetze and Marcel Schmelzer in missing the friendly.
The Dortmund trio played the 90 minutes of Borussia's 3-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday, to go second in the Bundesliga, but Goetze misses out with a viral infection, Reus has a groin strain and Schmelzer has a leg injury.
Klose is just one short of equalling Gerd Mueller's 38-year-old record of 68 goals scored in the Germany shirt and his withdrawal means Bayern's Mario Gomez is now the only genuine striker in the squad.
Loew could be hit by further withdrawals as Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is also carrying a knock, but will travel with the squad.
Source: AFP
