Klose call for Germany
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Article summary
Germany striker Miroslav Klose will be on the sidelines for up to six weeks, but should be fit for UEFA EURO 2004™.
Article body
Knee injured
Klose, who will leave 1. FC Kaiserslautern for champions-elect SV Werder Bremen in a €5m summer transfer, was substituted with ten minutes remaining of the 3-2 Bundesliga defeat by Hamburger SV on Sunday after taking a knock.
Ligament damage
Despite still being in pain, the 25-year-old linked up with the German squad on Monday only for scans to reveal a partial ligament rupture in his right knee. Doctors have stated a recovery time of five to six weeks, ruling Klose out of Germany's friendly against Belgium tomorrow.
Global prominence
Germany coach Rudi Völler said: "It could have been worse, I'd rather it happened now than in four to six weeks' time." Klose, who shot to global prominence at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring five goals in six appearances, has won 35 international caps.