Germany dealt Schlotterbeck injury blow before crucial Serbia clash

Germany will be without Borussia Dortmund defender Niko Schlotterbeck for Thursday’s decisive Nations League meeting with Serbia after he suffered an ankle injury in training.

Schlotterbeck will leave the national team camp and is also expected to miss Germany’s following match against Greece. However, the injury does not require surgery, according to German newspaper Bild.

The 25-year-old sustained the problem on Wednesday, shortly before Germany’s final training session ahead of the Serbia game at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

The injury occurred during a light competitive exercise in which the players were split into four groups. Each group was tasked with carrying the ball through a series of slalom poles.

Schlotterbeck lost control of the ball and moved into another group before twisting his right ankle and falling to the ground holding it. He was unable to continue the session and left training for further assessment.

An MRI scan showed that the latest injury is not as serious as the problem Schlotterbeck suffered during the 2026 World Cup. It also confirmed that he will not need an operation.

The setback comes as Germany attempt to secure their first victory since Jurgen Klopp took charge. They opened their Nations League campaign with a 1-1 draw away to the Netherlands before suffering a surprise 1-0 defeat by Greece at home in their second match.

Germany are third in Group B with one point from two games. Greece lead the section on six points, with the Netherlands second on four, while Serbia are bottom without a point.

The absence of Schlotterbeck removes one of Germany’s defensive options for a match they need to win in order to improve their position in the group. Serbia will host neither fixture, with Thursday’s meeting taking place in Munich as Germany seek to respond to their disappointing defeat by Greece.

Schlotterbeck’s early departure means he will not be involved in either of the next two games, despite the medical examination providing some relief by ruling out the need for surgery. Germany must now prepare for Serbia and Greece without the Borussia Dortmund defender as they try to recover from a difficult opening to the competition.