11 Jul 2010

Flu worries in the German football team

5:06 am on 11 July 2010

Germany's football team has been hit with flu worries ahead of their World Cup third place play-off against Uruguay today.

The Germany coach, Joachim Loew, missed a pre-match press conference after being confined to his bed with the flu.

The team's media spokesperson, Harald Stenger, says the captain Philipp Lahm and striker Lukas Podolski have also caught the virus, but to a lesser extent.

Stenger says it's hoped they'll both be fit for the match.

There's also concern about the fitness of striker Miroslav Klose, who missed training with a back problem.

The injury affected Klose during Germany's semi-final loss to Spain, but the striker hopes to play, and is just one goal off Ronaldo's all-time World Cup scoring record of 15 goals.