• Euro 2012

Mertesacker given Germany nod

ESPN staff
May 7, 2012
Per Mertesacker was injured in February © Getty Images
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Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker appears to be winning his Euro 2012 fitness race as he has been included in Germany's provisional squad.

Mertesacker has not played since Febraury after damaging an ankle, but he has been making good progress and has been given the chance to prove his fitness by Germany Coach Joachim Low.

He is joined in the 27-man squad by future team-mate Lukas Podolski, uncapped 18-year-old Julian Draxler and former Northampton goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.

"We have spoken with Per and he has put in a lot of effort in getting back to fitness," Low said. "I spoke to him and his coach Arsene Wenger yesterday. We agreed that he will fly with the squad to Sardinia on Friday.

"Wenger said he is not ready to play yet so he has welcomed us taking him with us for training. He has got to get back to competitive levels of fitness and we hope to get him there over the coming weeks."

Schalke midfielder Draxler was the surprise inclusion in Germany coach Joachim Low's provisional squad for Euro 2012.

Draxler, 18, was the only uncapped outfield player in Low's 27-man squad, which will be reduced to 23 by May 25.

Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Monchengladbach), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96).

Defenders
Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders
Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Marco Reus (Borussia Monchengladbach), Andre Schurrle (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).

Forwards
Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (Lazio).

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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