Loew adds Freier to Germany squad

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BERLIN, Germany -- Germany coach Joachim Loew has called up Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Paul Freier for their Euro 2008 qualifier against Cyprus after Bernd Schneider and Piotr Trochowski were ruled out with injuries.

Schneider suffered a leg muscle strain in Bayer Leverkusen's 3-2 defeat against Bayern Munich on Saturday while Trochowski suffered an Achilles injury in Hamburg's 1-1 draw with Borussia Moenchengladbach.

On Sunday, Loew called up Hanover goalkeeper Robert Enke to replace Arsenal's Jens Lehmann, who is out with a heavy cold.

Stuttgart keeper Timo Hildebrand, Lehmann's backup, will almost certainly start the Group D match in Nicosia on Wednesday.

"We need players who are 100 percent fit," said Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff. "It wouldn't make any sense to take Bernd or Piotr with us."

Freier, 27, has 18 caps for Germany and last appeared in a 2-2 draw against Argentina on February 9, 2005.

"We're delighted to have him back," said Bierhoff. "He's had a very good run at Bayer Leverkusen and he's well-acquainted with our team."

Loew will also be without injured strikers Lukas Podolski and Gerald Asamoah, midfielders Tim Borowski, Sebastian Kehl and Sebastian Deisler as well as defenders Christoph Metzfelder, Marcell Jansen and Alexander Madlung.

Germany have maximum points from three games having beaten Ireland, San Marino and Slovakia. Cyprus have three points from three games.

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