Back pain sidelines ter Stegen for November international break

The German FA confirmed that keeper Marc-André ter Stegen will be unavailable for the coming two international test fixtures early on Friday evening. 

Already without long-time #1 Manuel Neuer for the coming international break, Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann will also have to cope with the loss of (next to Neuer) his most-capped keeper. The German FA confirmed on Friday evening that the 31-year-old Barça professional had departed DFB camp with back pains. Nagelsmann revealed this information at a Friday presser.

Nagelsmann does maintain three keepers on his roster. Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kevin Trapp (six caps) is the obvious choice to stand in goal for the coming exhibition matches against Turkey and Austria. Two additional net-minders – Oliver Baumann of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Janis Blaswich of RB Leipzig – have not been capped at senior level yet.

“The approach doesn’t change at all,” Nagelsmann emphasized at the press conference, “All three can play good football, even if you can of course, point to the play of Marc [ter Stegen] and Manu [Neuer]. But our style-of-play won’t change and we won’t start booting ballsl forward, no matter who ends up in goal. We’ll make a joint decision [on who stands in goal] after each training session.”

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