Hamburg - Germany coach Joachim Loew on Tuesday announced a weakened squad for a short two-game tour to Asia. Loew has had to make do without the international players from cup finalists Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen, Germany captain Michael Ballack, who will be involved in the FA Cup final with Chelsea, as well as the Germany under-21 players, who will be preparing for the European championships.
As a result Loew has called up uncapped goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from Schalke, defender Christian Traesch (VfB Stuttgart), midfielders Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg) and Tobia Weiss (Hoffenheim), as well as Stuttgart's Brazilian-born striker Cacau.
There is also an unexpected recall for Middlesbrough defender Robert Huth, who last played for Germany at the 2006 World Cup.
Germany will face China on May 29 in Shanghai and the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on June 2.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Robert Enke (Hanover 96), Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04)
Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Andreas Hinkel (Celtic Glasgow), Robert Huth (Middlesbrough), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Marcel Schaefer (VfL Wolfsburg), Christian Traesch (VfB Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04)
Midfielders: Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Marcell Jansen (SV Hamburg), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (SV Hamburg), Tobias Weis (1899 Hoffenheim)
Strikers: Cacau, Mario Gomez (both VfB Stuttgart), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)
