Injured Lahm out of German squad

Germany will be without key defender Philipp Lahm for Saturday's European Championship qualifying game with Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

The Germans are still without Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, Torsten Frings and Tim Borowski through injury while Bern Schneider is suspended.

Lahm is ruled out with a knee injury, further disrupting coach Joachim Low's preparations for the game.

"Wales have a very aggressive team, and will deliver a great fight," said Low.

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"We need to go toe-to-toe with them," he added.

Bayern Munich defender Lahm pulled ligaments in his left knee during Germany's final training session in Cologne on Thursday.

However, Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is set to start for Germany in Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier with Wales in Cardiff.

The 37-year-old has not played since Germany's friendly victory over England on 22 August due to an elbow injury.

But Lehmann came through Wednesday's training and coach Joachim Low said: "We assume he will train again and will play against Wales on Saturday.

Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marcell Jansen are also fit to play after injury.

The four missed the 2-1 friendly win with England at Wembley.

"It's important that the injury situation has eased somewhat before this big qualifier," Low said before the visit to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium (kick-off 1930 BST).

Low has been forced to make one late change, though, with Real Betis midfielder David Odonkor replacing VfB Stuttgart's Serdar Tasci, who has a thigh injury.

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Odonkor was in the German squad for last year's World Cup, but picked up a knee injury last August and only made it back into the national squad for last month's win over England at Wembley.

Low had initially called up Odonkor and six other players, including Gerald Asamoah, for fitness tests with the squad and Tasci's injury forced Odonkor's promotion from the Under-21 squad.

Schalke 04 striker Asamoah had to pull out of training in Cologne on Monday night after a food allergy meant he was hospitalised for observation.

Germany lead European Championship qualifying Group D with 19 points from seven matches.

The Czech Republic are second with 14 points, while Wales are down in fifth with seven points from six games.

Meanwhile, Slovakia coach Jan Kocian has also named his squad to face Wales in Trnava and has labelled the game as a must-win clash.

The Slovaks are fourth in group D and need maximum points from their two games with the Republic of Ireland and Wales to keep their hopes of qualification alive.

But they have suffered a major blow on Monday when striker Robert Vittek, who scored the fifth goal in Slovakia's 5-1 win over Wales last year, was ruled out with a knee injury.

"Our current situation commands us to win, that's why I wanted as many forward players as possible," said Kocian.

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Germany squad:

Goalkeepers: Robert Enke (Hanover 96), Timo Hildebrand (Valencia, Spain), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal, England)
Defenders: Gonzalo Castro (Bayer Leverkusen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Manuel Friedrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid, Spain), Christian Pander (Schalke 04).
Midfielders: Roberto Hilbert (VfB Stuttgart), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg SV), David Odonkor (Real Betis).
Forwards: Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Cologne), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)

Slovakia squad:

Goalkeepers: Stefan Senecky (FC Nitra), Dusan Kuciak (MSK Zilina)
Defenders: Jan Durica, Peter Petras (Saturn Moscow), Maros Klimpl (FC Midtjylland), Milos Brezinsky (Sparta Prague), Otto Szabo (Slovan Bratislava), Matej Krajcik (Slavia Prague), Marek Cech (FC Porto)
Midfielders: Marek Sapara (Rosenborg BK), Igor Zofcak (Sparta Prague), Marek Hamsik (Naples), Ivan Hodur (Slovan Liberec), Zdeno Strba (MSK Zilina), Branislav Obzera (Artmedia Petrzalka), Vratislav Gresko (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Filip Holosko (Manisaspor), Marek Mintal (FC Nuremberg), Stanislav Sestak (VfL Bochum), Filip Sebo (FC Valenciennes).