Lars and Sven Bender have pulled out of the Germany squad for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Sweden.
The Bender twins, who play for Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund respectively, miss out with a thigh injury and an unspecified muscle problem.
Joachim Low has also lost Dortmund forward Marco Reus, who tore a ligament in the defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach.
Germany were unable to call on experienced attackers Mario Gomez (Fiorentina), Miroslav Klose (Lazio) and Lukas Podolski (Arsenal). They are all injured.
Left back Marcel Schmelzer and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, both club teammates of Sven Bender at Dortmund, are also on the treatment table.
Bayern Munich quartet Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and Mario Gotze are all named on Low’s rotser.
Hamburger SV pair Heiko Westermann and Marcell Jansen may be given chances to impress in defence.
Three Premier League players, Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil (both Arsenal), and Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), have been selected.
Germany are virtually guaranteed automatic qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil. They are five points clear of second place Sweden in European Group C with two games left.
Managerless Ireland meanwhile will be without suspended pair John O’Shea and Richard Dunne for Friday’s match in Cologne.
Keepers Keiren Westwood (Sunderland) and Darren Randolph (Birmingham) join Hull winger Robbie Brady and Stoke forward Jon Walters in missing out through injury.
Full Germany squad to face Ireland: Neuer, Adler, Zieler, Lahm (c), Mertesacker, Jansen, Boateng, Westermann, Hummels, Howedes, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Khedira, Kroos, Gotze, Draxler, Muller, Schurrle, Sam, Kruse.
Full Ireland squad to face Germany: Forde, Elliot, Henderson, St Ledger, Kelly, Coleman, Wilson, Clark, Delaney, O’Brien, McGeady, Whelan, A Reid, Gibson, McCarthy, Green, McClean, Hoolahan, Pilkington, Keane (c), Doyle, Long, Stokes.
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