FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Germany will be without Jurgen Klinsmann when they take on Finland here tonight as part of their World Cup preparations.

The 33-year-old captain has had to fly to Munich for treatment to bruising on his right leg.

Klinsmann, was joined by teammate Thomas Helmer, who required medical attention for a muscular problem. The pair are due to rejoin the squad on Thursday near Frankfurt.

“He was injured two days ago,”   German spokemsan Wolfgang Niersbach explained, “and was able to train yesterday but the discomfort was still there and we decided for safety’s sake to get it x-rayed.”  Coach Berti Vogts has not yet revealed whether Oliver Bierhoff, Ulf Kirsten or Olaf Marschall, would step in for Klinsmann, who sat out last month’s game against Nigeria.

Tonight’s game was to have pitted the Tottenham Hotspur striker alongside Lothar Mattheus, the 37-year-old former skipper earning his first cap for three and a half years.