[Oliver_Kahn]

Ballack back in Germany squad


Germany coach Joachim Löw has called up captain Michael Ballack for next month's UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against San Marino and Slovakia.

Welcomed back
The Chelsea FC midfielder missed the end of the Premiership season after surgery on his left ankle and, although he has been named in the 21-man party to play San Marino in Nuremberg on 2 June and Slovakia in Hamburg four days later, it is not yet clear if the 30-year-old will be fit to participate. "Michael wants to play, at least in the second match, but we will take no risks," said Löw. VfB Stuttgart forward Mario Gomez and Hamburger SV midfielder Piotr Trochowski also return after injury while rising stars Gonzalo Castro, Simon Rolfes, Roberto Hilbert and Patrick Helmes are selected as well. Germany, leading Group D with 13 points from five matches, are without Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski, Tim Borowski and Oliver Neuville due to long-term injuries and Hertha BSC Berlin captain Arne Friedrich has been omitted because of a persistent knee complaint.

Germany squad
Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal FC), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart).

Defenders: Gonzalo Castro (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Manuel Friedrich (1. FSV Mainz 05), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Marcell Jansen (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Christoph Metzelder (BV Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea FC), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Roberto Hilbert (VfB Stuttgart), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Jan Schlaudraff (TSV Alemannia Aachen), Bernd Schneider (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV).

Forwards: Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (1. FC Köln), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Kevin Kuranyi (FC Schalke 04).

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