Schlotterbeck ruled out for Germany
Nico Schlotterbeck has suffered another injury setback while on international duty with Germany, this time to his right ankle, leading to his withdrawal from its UEFA Nations League squad.
Schlotterbeck, who was sidelined for several months after suffering a left ankle injury at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has sustained a lateral ligament issue in his right ankle.
The issue occurred during Germany's final training session before its clash with Serbia, ruling him out of the next two matches.
No information about the severity of the injury or the possible length of his absence was disclosed, but no replacement will be called up by Jurgen Klopp.
It is a blow to Klopp, who is still seeking his first win as Germany's head coach after a 1-1 draw with Netherlands and a shock 1-0 loss to Greece.
The injury also comes after Schlotterbeck had insisted Germany would turn its form around against Serbia, telling German media: "I'm 100 per cent sure we'll win the game, 110 per cent.
"We have to stick to the game plan; every single player has to perform – if we manage that, we'll win.
"Jurgen is trying to implement his system quickly, and that takes time. We're getting a lot of input from Jurgen, which isn't easy.
"But we're all footballers; we have to adapt. If we can manage that, we'll be a good team. We have good players; we just all need to perform at the DFB the way we do at our clubs."
The injury will also come as a worry to Borussia Dortmund, which returns to action after the international break with a Bundesliga clash against Werder Bremen on 10 October (AEST).
Nico Cedric Schlotterbeck
Germany
