Poland host Germany in friendly tonight

Last Friday Germany were the first team to qualify for the 2012 European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine. Now later today they face co-hosts Poland in an international friendly in Gdansk and with qualification in their bag the Germans are now set to start their preparations and selection progress for the tournament next summer.

After coming to Gdansk the team management has literary fallen in love with the city and after having inspected all eight host cities for Euro2012 the German have decided to make Gdansk their home during next summers tournament with the five star Hotel Dwor Oliwski their accommodation.

Coach Joachim Loew is in the wonderful situation that he can pick his final 23 players from a huge pool of players. For the game tonight Loew is resting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer plus midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Özil, who all have gone back to their respective clubs; but it will be a test for others in a totally new German side compared to the team which beat Austria 6-2 on Friday.

In goal Tim Wiese will get his chance with centre back Per Mertesacker coming in for for Holger Badstuber with Jerome Boateng or Mats Hummels his partner. On the right wing Christian Träsch could come in for the injured Benedikt Höwedes, while as left-back captain Philipp Lahm retains his position. Simon Rolfes takes Bastian Schweinsteiger's position in defensive midfield, while on the wings we will either see Thomas Müller or Andre Schürrle on the right and Lukas Podolski on the left. In the middle Toni Kroos is joined by teenager Mario Götze for Mesut Özil and Miroslav Klose stays upfront.

Especially for Podolski and Klose it will be special occasion with both players having Polish roots. In the last match between the two nations at Euro2008 Podolski had scored both the goals for Germany in a 2-0 win.

"This is something really special," said an emotional Klose. "We were born there, speak the language. Poldi and I are really looking forward to playing there (in Poland) for the first time."


Likely Germany XI with alternatives

Tim Wiese; Christian Träsch (Benedikt Höwedes), Per Mertesacker, Jerome Boateng (Mats Hummels), Philipp Lahm [C]; Simon Rolfes; Thomas Müller (Andre Schürrle), Mario Götze, Toni Kroos, Lukas Podolski; Miroslav Klose