Schweinsteiger banned for Euro game

AFP - 13 June 2008 14:47

Germany´s midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger looks on during their Euro 2008 Championships Group B football match against Croatia at Woerthersee-Stadion in Klagenfurt, Austria, June 12. Schweinsteiger has been banned for one-match by UEFA and will miss Monday´s clash with Austria in Vienna with a Euro 2008 quarter-final place at stake.

TENERO, Switzerland (AFP) - Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been banned for one-match by UEFA and will miss Monday's clash with Austria in Vienna with a Euro 2008 quarter-final place at stake.

Schweinsteiger, a key play-maker for Germany, was a second-half substitute in Germany's shock 2-1 defeat by Croatia in Klagenfurt, Austria, on Thursday and was shown a red card for lashing out at Croatia's Jerko Leko.

And defenders Philipp Lahm and Marcell Jansen, plus Germany's top-scorer Lukas Podolski, all picked up knocks and face a fitness race to be ready for the Austrian showdown.

Having scored Germany's consolation goal, to add to the pair he scored against Poland last Sunday, Bayern Munich forward Podolski is being treated for an ankle injury.

Left-back Lahm took a knock to the calf against Croatia, but is expected to be fit for Austria.

His Bayern team-mate Jansen will undergo an x-ray later on Friday for a shoulder injury, but after being brutally exposed by the Croatian attack, he is unlikely to keep his place in the starting line-up.

And coach Joachim Loew has promised changes in both Germany's starting line-up and attitude against Austria.

"We know how Group B stands, the Austrians will run for their lives, they have a one-off chance to immortalise themselves and put themselves in the quarterfinals," said Loew.

"But make no mistake, and I promise you this, my team will be totally different on the pitch in Vienna.

"You will see a difference in attitude and changes to the starting line-up are more than likely.

"You will see a more aggresive, running game from us, because all the things we did well in the Poland game were conspicuous by their absence against Croatia."

Loew said he will use Friday afternoon to brutally analyse the Croatia defeat in depth with his team and preparations for Austria will begin on Saturday morning.

"All the players didn't meet expectations with very few exceptions, I won't analyse each player individually, but I will take each player aside and give them a piece of my mind."

Loew said he is hoping the trio of Lahm, Jansen and Podolski are all available to play, but hinted defenders Heiko Westermann and Arne Friedrich could well win promotion and start.