Lahm calm on Schweinsteiger fitness

Germany captain Philipp Lahm is unconcerned by Bastian Schweinsteiger’s fitness ahead of Euro 2012.

Lahm said even if the influential midfielder is forced to withdraw, the 2008 runners-up have adequate cover.

Schweinsteiger is not training with his team-mates as he struggles with a calf problem, but he is still expected to be fit for his country’s tournament opener against Portugal on June 9.

Lahm, therefore, is not unduly worried about the uncertainty surrounding the participation of his Bayern Munich teammate in the context of their campaign in Poland and Ukraine.

“Of course you want players as experienced as Bastian fully fit going into this tournament,” the full-back told reporters on Wednesday.

“But I’m assuming that he will be fit for the European Championships. And even if that is not the case, the team still has plenty of strength in depth in that position. So, I’m not worried.”

Lahm is a certain starter for Germany but on which side of the defence he will be positioned remains unclear. The 28-year-old, though, does not mind where he ends up.

“I know that I can play at a high level on both sides,” he said.

“I’m going to play on the left (against Israel on Thursday), which was decided by the coach.

“It is a big advantage that I can play on both sides and I’m very relaxed about this debate.”

As for his team’s chances of triumphing in Poland and Ukraine, Lahm is feeling upbeat, in light of their third-placed finish at the World Cup in South Africa two years ago.

“Every player who was with us in 2010 now has more experience and they are more confident,” he said.

“We have a top team; we can achieve anything, that’s for sure.

“But nothing is automatic and we must collect points from the very first game.”

Lahm reinforced his belief that Germany would be taking the tournament one game at a time, despite his admission that they have the quality to go deep into the knockout stages.

“In the past we were right, looking from one game to another. Of course the team is good enough to make it to the late stages of the tournament,” he said.

“But you have to get off to a good start. Beating Portugal would be the best imaginable start into the group stage. And then we’ll see. But looking back at the past few years, we cannot think about the quarter-finals, the semi-finals or the final.”

Germany and Portugal must also tackle Netherlands and Denmark in Euro 2012’s ‘Group of Death’.