Munich - Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski will not travel with the team to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday but will join up with the Germany squad to face England on Wednesday. Podolski has not recovered in time from a back injury and will instead put in an extra training session in Munich, coach Juergen Klinsmann said Friday.
Podolski will join the Germany squad on Sunday, and national team coach Joachim Loew "will decide in what shape he is in to play against England" in Berlin on Wednesday, Klinsmann said.
Podolski, who is losing patience with his role as a substitute at Bayern, has only been able to take part in light training this week as a result of a back problem.
Klinsmann said he was happy with the 23-year-old player despite preferring Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni as his main strike force.
"We are completely satisfied with him, and he has never said to me that he wants to leave," Klinsmann said.
Meanwhile Turkey midfield Hamit Altintop is making good progress following foot surgery.
"Hamit is stepping up the intensity of his training almost daily. It's a pleasing development," Klinsmann said.
Altintop has been sidelined since the end of August after he suffered a negative reaction to a plate inserted in his right foot following a fracture in March.
There is no exact timetable for when the midfielder could return to the team.
"It would be wrong to give a match as a target. We are happy that he is working his way back without any complaints," Klinsmann said.
Defender Philipp Lahm and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger are available again following injury for the Bundesliga match against struggling Moenchengladbach.
"We are expecting a very difficult game. Gladbach have their backs to the wall. They will be going flat out against us," Klinsmann added.
