Flu hits German squad amid Klose worrries

Germany have been hit with flu worries as well as concerns over the fitness of star striker Miroslav Klose ahead of Saturday’s World Cup third place play-off against Uruguay, team sources said on Friday.

Coach Joachim Loew is suffering from the flu – and so are skipper Philipp Lahm, striker Lukas Podolski – though it is hoped they will both be fit for the match.\

Klose meanwhile missed training as he struggles to get over a back problem which affected him in the semi-final loss to Spain on Wednesday.

“Loew is confined to his bed and will not take part in the pre-match press conference at Port Elizabeth this evening,” said spokesman Harald Stenger.

Assistant coach Hansi Flick will step in for the afternoon press conference but Loew is expected to take his place in the dugout on Saturday.

Flick also took Friday training.

Lahm and Podolski sat out that session but “their state of health is less serious than that of the coach,” said Stenger.

Klose hopes to play, meanwhile, as he is one goal off Ronaldo’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 15 goals.