Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will miss Tuesday's away friendly for the world champions against Spain with discomfort in his right knee, the German Football Association (DFB) confirmed on Saturday.

"I'd have liked to have played against Spain with the best team, but we didn't want to take any risks with Manuel," said Germany head coach Joachim Loew.

Neuer was Germany's stand-in skipper in Friday's 4-0 win over Gibraltar in a Euro 2016 qualifier, which left the world champions third in their qualifying group, as Loew's first-choice captain Bastian Schweinsteiger recovers from a knee injury.

Loew will now use either Borussia Dortmund's Roman Weidenfeller or Hanover's Ron-Robert Zieler as goalkeeper against Spain and will be down to his third-choice captain against the European champions.

"We have two excellent alternatives, who have more than deserved their chance to play against Spain," said Loew.

"I know that I can completely rely on both of them."

With midfielders Andre Schuerrle, Marco Reus, Christoph Kramer having already missed the Gibraltar win with injury, it means Loew has just 19 of his original 23-man squad.

He has just 17 fit outfield players and two goalkeepers, but the DFB have no plans to make emergency call-ups before the away friendly in what will be Germany's last international of 2014.