Ascona, Switzerland - Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger may be dropped for Germany's opening match of Euro 2008 against Poland on Sunday. Schweinsteiger had "not reached his absolute best form," coach Joachim Loew said Thursday.
Loew indicated the Bayern Munich player, who had started in all four of Germany's matches this year, would be among the substitutes for the Group B game in Klagenfurt, Austria.
Schweinsteiger, capped 51 times for Germany, had been working hard in training and will "still be important for us" in the tournament, he said.
Loew is believed to be considering playing striker Lukas Podolski on the left of midfield, a position he has filled successfully in recent internationals.
"Lukas is basically a striker but he has shown that he can make a mark on the left," Loew said.
The striker positions look like going to Bayern Munich team-mate Miroslav Klose and VfB Stuttgart's Mario Gomez.
With Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings in central midfield, a place is still believed to be open on the right where Werder Bremen's Clemens Fritz and Tim Borowski, who is moving from Werder to Bayern next season, are candidates.
Germany have never lost to Poland in 15 matches going back to 1933 but Loew warned that Sunday's game would be a tense affair.
"The Polish team have made progress under Leo Beenhakker and will demand everything of us on Sunday," he said.
