Slovakia Friendly Offers Joachim Low Perfect Opportunity to Test Fringe Players

When Germany face Slovakia to kick their preparations for UEFA Euro 2016 into another gear on Sunday, the XI on the pitch will hardly resemble the one we’ll see on June 12 in Lille, in France.

On that day, Joachim Low’s men will start their Euro adventure against Ukraine. Until then, however, a lot of things need sorting out.

The 56-year-old called up a preliminary selection of 27 players for the first phase of preparations, including four players who have yet to make their debut for the current FIFA World Cup holders. Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno and attacker Julian Brandt, Bayern Munich all-rounder Joshua Kimmich and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl could all earn their first caps against Slovakia.

Apart from Leno, who’s one of only three ‘keepers in the camp and thus has already booked a trip to France, all three potential debutants are on the bubble. With Low having to cut down his squad to 23 players by May 31, Sunday’s match will be their only chance to prove their worth.

The same goes for others who can’t be sure they’ll make it to the Euros. Players such as Roma’s Antonio Rudiger, Hoffenheim’s Sebastian Rudy or Schalke’s Leroy Sane will hope to see the field at the weekend, too.

In that regard, it’s almost a blessing that a number of regulars won’t be available on Sunday.

Toni Kroos, of course, has a slightly more important game to play at the San Siro in Milan on Saturday. Mats Hummels is out with a muscle injury he picked up in the DFB-Pokal final on May 21, while Marco Reus suffers from slight adductor problems and will not play. Lukas Podolski scored the winner in the Turkish cup final for Galatasaray on Thursday and has yet to join the team.

The biggest question, however, surrounds the captain’s fitness. Manchester United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger said in a press conference during the week, per Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror, that “it’s looking very good and I’m very optimistic” that he’ll get healthy in time for the tournament after a knee injury had kept him out since March.

He added: “I’ve got to get a bit closer to training with the team, but everything’s going according to plan so far.”

With Sami Khedira unlikely to be able to play more than 45 minutes or so after overcoming a muscle injury himself, Germany’s usual central midfield personnel won’t be available in the first friendly of the summer.

That should be music to the ears of Weigl and Kimmich, both of whom Low could select for the starting XI.

Twenty-year-old Weigl could especially use a strong performance against Slovakia. Due to his …

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