Berlin [Germany], March 21: Bayern Munich duo Lennart Karl and Jonas Urbig were handed first call-ups to the Germany squad on Thursday for World Cup warm-ups against Switzerland and Ghana, while VfB Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav was included but team mate Angelo Stiller missed out.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann is shorn of playmaker Jamal Musiala after Bayern asked for him to be rested as he has a minor injury and continues to build up fitness from last July's broken leg.
There are nevertheless seven Bayern players in the 26-man squad and their ex-coach Nagelsmann said that was no accident.
"Generally it is always advisable, injury-permitting, to select successful players who are together in a big block. Bayern are having a top season domestically and internationally. They are very stable," he told a news conference.
"They try win to every game ... and that's why I've opted for this block." RB Leipzig's Assan Ouedraogo, who scored on debut in November, is injured. Karim Adeyemi, Robin Koch, Maximilian Mittelstadt, Chris Führich and Jonathan Burkardt are also left out.
There are six players included who were not in the last squad in November because of injury or form - Kai Havertz, Anton Stach, Pascal Gross, Josha Vagnoman, Antonio Rüdiger and Undav - the second top scorer in the Bundesliga this term.
Leeds United midfielder Stach is back after nearly four years and Brighton's Gross, 34, returns when his international career seemed over.
Nick Woltemade retains his place despite a goal drought at Newcastle United. Five Premier League players are picked in total, including Brentford's Kevin Schade and fit-again Arsenal forward Havertz.
Nagelsmann said Engish football is "very physical" with a lot of "tempo and dynamism." 'Ideally we win both games' Germany face Switzerland in Basel on March 27 and then host Ghana in Stuttgart on March 30. These are the last matches before Nagelsmann has to name his World Cup party.
"We want to win both games. Whenever you play you should always try to win, I've said that. But we have to work on a couple of things even if we have very little time," Nagelsmann added.
"Ideally we win both games but it is not the end of the world if we don't, as long as we play well and show development."
Further friendlies against Finland and the United States follow in late May and June after the final squad is named.PA Media/dpa
Barcelona
Coach Hansi Flick praised evergreen striker Robert Lewandowski after watching him contribute to Barcelona's magnificent seven as their Champions League drive clicked into top gear.
The 37-year-old Poland international scored a second-half double in Wednesday's stunning 7-2 victory over Newcastle at the Nou Camp as they finally put the Premier League side to the sword in the final quarter of a two-legged last-16 tie.
Lewandowski's 56th-minute header from a Raphinha corner and a trademark finish five minutes later made it 5-2 and 6-2 on the night, killing any hope the Magpies had of fighting their way back into the game for a third time and booking a quarter-final showdown with Atletico Madrid.
Flick said: "We have many players who are very important for us and I'm always thinking about the team. He's a part of our team and he's very experienced.
"In these matches, he's unbelievable. He's one of the best players, best strikers in the box. The first goal from him was unbelievable because the Newcastle defenders normally are very strong on set-pieces.
"It was great, he was great and I'm happy for him that he scored today two goals." Lewandowski had gone into the game with only two goals in his last 10 appearances, and he chose the perfect moment to rediscover his form as Newcastle wilted.
Flick said: "I'm happy that Lewi today did well. It was important because he has a lot of experience about these games, these important games in the Champions League, and it was a good day today in the Champions League to start scoring goals again."
Barca needed a stoppage-time penalty at St James' Park last week to ensure Newcastle did not head for Spain with a first-leg advantage, and it looked like being another tricky evening when Anthony Elanga cancelled out Raphinha's opener and then repeated the feat after Marc Bernal had restored the hosts' advantage.
However, another Yamal penalty in first-half stoppage time finally broke Newcastle's resistance and goals from Fermin Lopez and Raphinha either side of Lewandowski's double took the game and the tie away from Eddie Howe's men.
"The first half was very tough. It wasn't easy for us," Flick added.
"We scored the first goal very quickly, but then it went up and down and it was tough, and I'm glad that we scored that third goal.
"We lost many balls and against a team like Newcastle with fast players who take up fantastic positions, it wasn't easy to defend.
"At half-time, we said we had to control more the game push them into a deep block and try to play our game, and it worked well."
Meanwhile, Joan Garcia has been cleared of injury and will be available for Barcelona's clash with Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Sunday.
The goalkeeper was withdrawn late on against Newcastle and there were fears he could be sidelined for several weeks with a calf injury.
Source: Qatar Tribune
