Germany coach fears injuries ahead of Euro 2012

Germany coach Joachim Loew hopes that none of his players will pick up serious injuries between now and the end of the season, as the Euro 2012 championships loom in just over two months’ time.Loew told football magazine Kicker in an interview published on Thursday that whether it was in the domestic leagues or European cup competitions, “the critical phase stars now”.“That’s why in the final sprint for the season, I’d like more than anything that no one gets seriously injured,” he added.Germany have been hit by a number of injuries to key players already this season: Bayern Munich’s midfield playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger has only just returned after several weeks out with a right ankle problem.Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker is also sidelined after damaging ankle ligaments in the north London club’s match with Sunderland in the English Premier League in February.Striker Miroslav Klose, meanwhile, is out for at least four weeks after injuring a thigh muscle during training for his Italian club Lazio.Loew, however, said he had few concerns about Klose.“Miro is physically at peak fitness and in fact seems younger than he is because he has always been extremely disciplined,” the coach said of the 33-year-old. “Few players know their bodies as well as he does.”Lowe did not rule out naming a list of 23 players at the start of May to offset the risk of last-minute injuries.“I’ll decide at the last minute. I’m waiting to see how those who are injured get on and how Bayern plays. If they get to the final of the Champions League on May 19 I’d clearly be looking at naming more than 23 players,” he explained.At the Euros, which run from June 8 to July 1 in Poland and Ukraine, Germany face the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark in Group B.