Frankfurt, Nov 4: Germany captain Philipp Lahm will be rested for the upcoming friendlies against Ukraine and the Netherlands.
"He is playing a lot of games this season and most of them over 90 minutes," Germany coach Joachim Loew said Friday. "That's why he is getting a break now and I have the opportunity to test other players on the left back."
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Lahm's teammate at Bayern Munich, will miss the match in Ukraine next Friday but will be back in goal for the game against the Netherlands in Hamburg on Nov. 15.
Loew said Tim Wiese of Werder Bremen and Ron-Robert Zieler of Hannover will each play one half in Ukraine. Zieler will be making his debut.
Bayern's midfielder Bastian Schweinstger will miss the matches because of a broken collarbone he suffered in the Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund defender Marcel Schmelzer and Bayer Leverkusen's midfielder Lars Bender have been recalled.
Germany, which won all 10 matches to qualify for next year's European Championship in Poland and Ukraine, will now visit the second host, after playing to a 2-2 draw with Poland in Gdansk last month.
"We'll be able to gather some experience in the land of the second host," Loew said.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover).
Defenders: Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Traesch (Wolfsburg).
Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Mario Goetze (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Mesut Oezil (Real Madrid), Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schuerrle (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (Lazio).
