31.08.2013 14:59 h

Football: Schweinsteiger to miss qualifiers against Austria, Faroes

Gelson Fernandes (l.) wechselt zu Stade Rennes
Gelson Fernandes (l.) wechselt zu Stade Rennes

Veteran German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will miss upcoming 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Austria and the Faroe Islands because of a niggling ankle injury, the German football federation announced Saturday.

Germany coach Joachim Loew opted not to call up a replacement for the Bayern Munich player.

Schweinsteiger, 28 and a veteran of the 2006 and 2010 World Cups where Germany reached the semi-finals on both occasions, injured his right ankle in the 1-1 Bundesliga draw against Freiburg on Tuesday, and sat out Bayern's SuperCup victory over Chelsea in Prague on Friday.

Germany play Austria on September 6 at the Allianz Arena in Munich and then travel to the Faroe Islands for the second match four days later.

Germany currently top qualifying Group C with five wins and one draw from six games. They are five points clear of Austria, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.