Germany coach Loew told to rest after sporting accident

BERLIN (AP) — Germany coach Joachim Loew will miss the side’s upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Belarus and Estonia to recover from a sporting accident.

The German soccer federation says “an artery was squeezed and it is necessary that he remains stationary. The treatment is going well, but the doctor advised the national coach to rest in the coming weeks.”

The DFB does not give details of the accident. German daily BILD reports Loew dropped a dumbbell on his chest while training some weeks ago.

Assistant coach Marcus Sorg is to take charge of the team for the games in Borisov, Belarus on June 8 and against Estonia in Mainz three days later.

Loew says, “I am in constant contact with my coaching staff and we will also be in close contact with each other around the two international matches. Marcus Sorg, (goalkeeping coach) Andy Köpke and (team manager) Oliver Bierhoff have a lot of experience together and together we will bridge this short break well.”