Germany midfielder Christian Traesch, centre, is walked out of the team's training centre by medics after sustaining a foot injury at the centre in Appiano, near the northern Italian city of Bolzano, on Sunday. (Oliver Land/AFP/Getty Images)Germany backup midfielder Christian Traesch will miss the World Cup after injuring his right ankle in a training game against a local selection in northern Italy in another blow for the three-time champions.
Germany has been hit by a series of injuries that have taken out captain Michael Ballack and designated No. 1 goalkeeper Rene Adler, among others, from the upcoming tournament in South Africa.
"Christian Traesch won't be available for the World Cup and we regret this very much," assistant coach Hans-Dieter Flick told a news conference Tuesday at Germany's training camp in northern Italy.
Traesch twisted his ankle without contact with another player and will need at least a four-week rest.
Germany won 4-0 against a local selection from South Tirol, a German speaking area in northern Italy. The game was played over two 30-minute halves on Monday.
Germany coach Joachim Loew has two extra players in his squad who will have to be cut before the June 1 deadline. He also has to select his captain for the World Cup after Ballack's injury.
The seven players from Bayern Munich, which lost the Champions League final 2-0 against Inter Milan on Saturday, were joining the squad Tuesday and Wednesday.
Germany plays in Hungary on Saturday and then hosts Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 3 in its last two warmup games before travelling to the World Cup.
