Manuel Neuer Back in Germany Squad for UEFA Nations League

Manuel Neuer is on track to play for Germany for the first time in 11 months after he was named to the squad Friday for upcoming games against Turkey, Ukraine and Switzerland.

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper returns to the squad alongside Leipzig defenders Lukas Klostermann and Marcel Halstenberg. All three were left out of Germany’s squad for draws with Spain and Switzerland last month to rest after they played in the Champions League tournament in August.

Germany plays Turkey on Wednesday in a friendly which will see coach Joachim Loew field a heavily weakened team. That’s followed by Nations League games at full strength away to Ukraine on Oct. 10 and at home to Switzerland on Oct. 13.

Neuer last played for Germany in European Championship qualifying wins over Estonia and Belarus in November. The German soccer federation said that five Bayern players including Neuer, along with Klostermann, Halstenberg and Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos will all be excused from playing in the Turkey friendly.

Bayern forward Leroy Sane misses out with a knee joint capsule injury, while Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Ander ter Stegen and Paris Saint-Germain defender Thilo Kehrer are also injured. Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan misses out after being found to have the coronavirus.

The decision to play a friendly during a time of fixture congestion has prompted concern at some German clubs. So has the trip to Ukraine, which is considered a risk area for coronavirus infection by Germany’s main public health body.

Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Arsenal), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Defenders: Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Robin Gosens (Atalanta), Marcel Halstenberg (Leipzig), Benjamin Henrichs (Leipzig), Lukas Klostermann (Leipzig), Robin Koch (Leeds), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Nico Schulz (Dortmund), Niklas Stark (Hertha Berlin), Niklas Sle (Bayern), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen).

Midfielders: Nadiem Amiri (Leverkusen), Mahmoud Dahoud (Dortmund), Julian Draxler (Paris Saint-Germain), Leon Goretzka (Bayern), Jonas Hofmann (Gladbach), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Florian Neuhaus (Gladbach), Suat Serdar (Schalke).

Forwards: Julian Brandt (Dortmund), Serge Gnabry (Bayern), Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Luca Waldschmidt (Benfica), Timo Werner (Chelsea).