Hamburg - Russia coach Guus Hiddink has warned his side to be on guard for Germany's strikers despite a lack of goals in the Bundesliga. Germany take on Russia in a key Group 4 World Cup qualifier in Moscow on Saturday with first-choice forwards Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose failing to command regular places in the Bayern Munich side.
Neither played 90 minutes in Saturday's goalless draw against Cologne, and both have often been starting on the bench.
Gomez has three goals this season, while Klose has yet to score and Cologne's Lukas Podolski has just one.
But Dutchman Hiddink told the German weekly Bild am Sonntag the fact that Gomez and Klose were not playing regularly meant they would be rested and "have more energy" for the qualifier.
"I think they will be going to the national team saying, 'Now I'll show what I can, how big I am'," Hiddink said.
Germany coach Joachim Loew said this week he had faith in his forwards. "I don't see any problems. The strikers have already demonstrated they are high class."
Gomez said he was going into the game with confidence.
"The league and national team are two different things. You saw it last season. We will be very motivated going to Russia."
Klose said after Saturday's draw with Cologne: "It can't always go well. We are doing almost everything right. Lots of things are working out but somehow there's a bit luck missing."
Asked about the goal drought, Podolski said: "I am nominated, the others are nominated, we are going to Russia with our best squad. We have a squad that can take Germany to the World Cup."
Loew has also selected VfB Stuttgart's Brazilian-born Cacau, but there is no place for Bayer Leverkusen's Stefan Kiessling, the Bundesliga's top scorer with six goals in eight games.
Germany will ensure qualification for next year's World Cup finals with a win over Russia. Otherwise direct qualification will be decided four days later when Germany play Finland in Hamburg and Russia meet Azerbaijan in Baku.
