Berlin - Germany coach Joachim Loew said a knee injury suffered playing football would not affect preparations for next month's World Cup qualifying matches against Russia and Wales. Loew sustained cartilage and ligament damage playing with friends last week and was forced to cancel a planned attendance at a get- together of European coaches on Monday in Vienna.
"I can't walk normally at the moment and have to rest for the time being," he was quoted as saying on the German Football Federation (DFB) website.
"When the swelling goes down I will hopefully be able to move again without pain. I certainly can't play sport for now, but the injury will have no affect at all on preparations for the forthcoming World Cup qualification matches against Russia and Wales."
Loew will be getting together with his squad on October 7 for the October 11 match against Russia in Dortmund, followed four days later by Wales in Moenchengladbach.
The Germany coach is represented in Vienna by his assistant Hansi Flick and team manager Oliver Bierhoff.
The UEFA coaching conference, running until Wednesday, is reviewing the Euro 2008 tournament and discussing tactical and technical trends in the game.
