Germany lets Kroos return to Madrid to fully heal rib injury

Posted October 06, 2017 7:00 am

The Associated Press

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) - Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has been released from Germany's World Cup qualifying squad to allow him to recover from a rib injury.

Kroos recently missed games for Madrid with the same injury but played in Germany's 3-1 win over Northern Ireland on Thursday, helping the team secure qualification for next year's tournament in Russia.

The German soccer federation says Kroos left the team hotel in Belfast on Friday morning in order to "fully heal."

Germany coach Joachim Loew says "we know what Toni can give us. When it comes down to it we can always rely on him. The deciding factor was that he is completely fit for next year."

Germany plays Azerbaijan on Sunday as it bids to complete qualification with 10 wins from 10 games.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers MLS Pro Sports Soccer Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.