Germany is hoping captain Bastian Schweinsteiger can recover to play the European Championship semifinal against France in Marseille on Thursday.
Schweinsteiger, who took a knock to his injury-prone right knee in Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Italy, started the team’s last training session at its tournament base on Wednesday but his participation remains in question.
Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Weigl or liverpool’s Emre Can could step in for their tournament debuts if the 31-year-old Schweinsteiger doesn’t make it.
The combative midfielder strained a ligament in the same knee that sustained two serious injuries this season and put his availability for Euro 2016 in doubt. He trained Wednesday with tape bound just below both knees.
Defender Benedikt Hoewedes also trained after sitting out the previous day’s session.
Germany will certainly be without striker Mario Gomez and midfielder Sami Khedira through injury, and defender Mats Hummels, who is suspended.
Gomez is out for the rest of the tournament after tearing a muscle in his right thigh in the win over Italy, while Khedira faces a race against time to be fit for a possible final appearance with a left groin injury from the same game.