World Champion Toni Kroos is set to miss this Sunday’s final World Cup Qualifying Group game against Azerbaijan with a rib inury.
The midfielder left the team hotel in Belfast on Friday morning and will now let the injury, which has also caused him to sit out games for his club Real Madrid recently, fully heal.
“We know what Toni can give us,” said Joachim Löw. “When it comes down to it we can always rely on him. The deciding factor was that he is completely fit for next year and able to get through this season and build up his strength,” added the Germany Head Coach.
Löw's squad now look ahead to Sunday’s tenth and final group game in Kaiserslauten, where the 57-year-old is expected to make use of the opportunity to rotate his line-up.
Germany will train once more in Belfast this afternoon (Friday) before flying to Mainz later in the evening.