The China Mail - Rudiger and Musiala absent but Ter Stegen returns for Germany Nations League

Nagelsmann made 10 changes, including naming two debutants, in his 26-man squad for the June fixtures. Midfielder Jamal Musiala, defenders Antonio Rudiger and Nico Schlotterbeck and forward Kai Havertz are among the notable absentees to miss out due to injury.

The coach said the bulging casualty ward was "extremely bitter" but said he did not want to take any risks with the injured players.

Sidelined since September, Ter Stegen will return between the sticks, with Nagelsmann saying Thursday the Barcelona shot-stopper is "in top shape" and "our number one."

The goalie has made two league starts for Barcelona since his return from injury.

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz returns to the team, having missed the March fixtures with injury, as does West Ham striker Niclas Fuellkrug.

Midfielder Tom Bischoff, who will move from Hoffenheim to Bayern Munich in the summer, along with Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, have been called up to a senior Germany squad for the first time.

The coach praised the 1.98-metre-tall Woltemade's "extraordinary skills", saying he has "momentum totally on his side right now".

Nagelsmann also recalled Bayern Munich duo Serge Gnabry and Aleksandar Pavlovic, along with Borussia Dortmund's Waldemar Anton and Felix Nmecha. Fiorentina defender Robin Gosens has also made his return to the squad.

Germany's victory over Italy in the quarter-finals in March won them the right to host the remainder of the tournament.

The Germans will take on Portugal in Munich in the semi-final, with European Champion Spain facing France in the other semi-final in Stuttgart.

Under Nagelsmann, Germany has returned to form after almost a decade of disappointments on the international stage, including two group stage World Cup exits in a row.

Germany were defeated in extra time by eventual champions Spain in Euro 2024 in the quarter-finals.

Nagelsmann praised his side's run to the final four but added "we can't afford to go one metre less than we did in the best moments in the quarter-finals against Italy".

Squad

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nuebel (Stuttgart), Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona/ESP)

Defenders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan/ITA), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstaedt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Tom Bischof (Hoffenheim), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Robin Gosens (Fiorentina/ITA), Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards: Niclas Fuellkrug (West Ham United/ENG), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Stuttgart)

C.Fong--ThChM