Berlin: Germany coach Joachim Loew will not call up any new players for the World Cup despite five key members, including captain Michael Ballack, being ruled out in the weeks leading up to the tournament, the team said on Monday.
Defender Heiko Westermann was the third player of the 27-man preliminary squad to be ruled out with an injury on Saturday, following Ballack and midfielder Christian Traesch.
Midfielder Simon Rolfes and starting goalkeeper Rene Adler, both certain to be included in the squad for the June 11-July 11 finals in South Africa, dropped out injured just weeks before the first squad was named in early May.
"This is not an issue at the moment," said team spokesman Harald Stenger from their training camp in northern Italy.
Philipp Lahm, who took over the captaincy from Ballack, also ruled out any new players coming in.
"New nominations are no issue for us. We had many players here and that is why you nominate more players. So you can replace them if they are injured," said Lahm. "All players are in the same top shape."
Loew must finalise his 23-man squad by Tuesday.
Germany have been drawn in Group D alongside Serbia, Australia and Ghana.
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