World Cup

Mesut Ozil omitted from Germany squad for qualifying fixtures

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 29 September 2017

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil is left out of Germany's squad for next week's World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan due to a lack of fitness.

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has been left out of Germany's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.

The 28-year-old has featured five times for the Gunners in all competitions this season, including the final 10 minutes of the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion earlier this week.

Ozil has struggled to reach peak fitness due to a minor inflammation of his knee, however, and Germany boss Joachim Low has opted to leave the former Real Madrid ace out of his latest squad.

Mario Gotze and Sami Khedira, of Borussia Dortmund and Juventus respectively, also miss out for the final batch of qualifying fixtures on the road to Russia.

"It is unfortunate that some of our key players will not be with us," Low told reporters. "I expect Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira to recover during this break for international matches. That is more important for them now. What will be decisive for us is that the players are fully fit next year."

The other notable absentees in the World Cup winners' squad are Manuel Neuer and Mario Gomez, but Jerome Boateng and Leroy Sane are both fit enough to return.

Germany squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (PSG)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin), Antonio Ruediger (Chelsea), Niklas Suele (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Emre Can (Liverpool), Julian Draxler (Paris Saint-Germain), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Manchester City), Amin Younes (Ajax)

Forwards: Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lars Stindl (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sandro Wagner (Hoffenheim), Timo Werner (Leipzig)