Neuer to miss friendly but will be fit for Georgia match

Bayern Munich's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer fails to save a shot by Borussia Moenchengladbach's Raffael during their Bundesliga first division soccer match in Munich March 22, 2015. REUTERS/Michael Dalder

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany keeper Manuel Neuer is out of Wednesday's friendly against Australia in Kaiserslautern with a knee problem but will be fit for the Euro 2016 qualifier in Georgia on Sunday. Coach Joachim Loew told reporters on Tuesday he did not want to risk his player's participation in the qualifier as the world champions look to bounce back from an erratic start to their campaign. "Manuel Neuer will not play tomorrow," Loew said. "He has knee inflammation and it can take a day or two to heal." The keeper played in Bayern Munich's 2-0 home defeat by Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday. "We did not want to risk it. There is no problem for Sunday in Georgia," said Loew before adding he had not decided whether captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, back for the first time since the 2014 World Cup final, would feature against Australia. "I will talk today with Bastian. Whether he will play from the start or a half or even sit it out, I have not yet decided." "I want to see training tonight and have some discussions." Germany have suffered something of a World Cup hangover and have seven points from four games, the same as Ireland and Scotland, three points adrift of Group D leaders Poland. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Tony Jimenez)