Berlin (AFP) – Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has pulled out of Germany’s upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Belarus and Estonia due to injury, the German Football Association announced on Saturday.
The 27-year-old will be replaced in the squad by Bayern Munich reserve goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, who receives his first ever international call-up.
“Sven has earned this call-up. He has shown top performances whenever he was needed for Bayern this season, and has great quality,” said Germany goalkeeping coach Andy Koepke.
Leno will not join the team when they travel to Borisov next week because of a recurring problem with his thumb, the DFB said in a statement.
“I know that Bernd has had some pain in his hand recently. He is going to have a splint put on his thumb, so we won’t be able to play him in the two upcoming games,” Koepke said.
Germany will also be without coach Joachim Loew, who checked into hospital earlier this week after crushing an artery while exercising.
Koepke and assistant coach Marcus Sorg will replace Loew in the dugout as Germany take on Belarus in Borisov on June 8, before hosting Estonia in Mainz on June 11.
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