Germany will kick off its 2020 UEFA Nations League matches in September without most of its Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig internationals.
National coach Joachim Loew on Tuesday said this was because they finished their season only days ago with the final eight tournament of the 2019/2020 UEFA Champions League.
He said the disrupted season, which ended with Sunday’s final match which Bayern Munich won, meant there would be changes in the squad.
They have games against Spain on Sept. 3 and Switzerland three days later.
Germany will be without Bayern Munich’s treble winners Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry and RB Leipzig’s Lukas Klostermann and Marcel Halstenberg.
“As a national team coach I have a responsibility to the players,” Loew told a news conference. “What is important is that clubs and federations work closely, together than ever in order to control the strain on the players.”
He will however have Bayern Munich central defender Niklas Suele, recently back following a cruciate ligament tear last year, and the duo of Julian Draxler and Thilo Kehrer of Paris St-Germain (PSG).
“They had a longer break in France and have played fewer matches than the Bayern Munich or RB Leipzig players,” Loew said.
Loew also called up three newcomers, with Atalanta left-back Robin Gosens, Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Florian Neuhaus and Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann in his 22-man squad.
Germany also face Ukraine as part of their League A Group 4 matches.