German defender Marko Rehmer is not fully fit and could miss Germany's first World Cup game against Saudi Arabia on Saturday in Sapporo.
Coach Rudi Voeller said today that the Hertha Berlin player, who has just recovered from a sprained shoulder, had to be left out when the triple world champions trained behind closed doors yesterday.
Rehmer had not played a competitive match since last March because of various injuries when he took part in a 10-0 demolition of a regional junior side in Germany's last warm-up game on Sunday.
"The Miyazaki match has left traces and he needs time to recapture his best form," said Voeller. "We have to look at it on a daily basis," the Germany coach added when asked whether Rehmer could play in his side's opening group E fixture.
"It's a long tournament and I'm persuaded we will stay in it for a while," Voeller said, hinting Rehmer might have to wait before making his debut in the finals starting on Friday.
Voeller has already had more than his share of defensive problems, losing his two preferred central defenders, Jens Nowotny and Christian Woerns, through injuries in the build-up to the tournament.
As a result, the former Germany striker has decided to drop his usual back-four formation and opt for a back-three instead, which Carsten Ramelow was expected to marshal.
Thomas Linke should play on the left side with Torsten Frings likely to step in at the right if Rehmer could not play.
Voeller, whose team also face Ireland and Cameroon in the group stage, has remained secretive about his line-up for Saturday, saying only that Germany captain Oliver Kahn would be in goal while strongly suggesting that Miroslav Klose would start up front.
Both Klose and fellow striker Oliver Bierhoff complained about sore thigh muscles after Tuesday's training but Voeller said they were not serious and both could play on Saturday.
Key playmaker Michael Ballack, who carries much of Germany's hopes in the absence from the squad of creative midfielders Sebastian Deisler and Mehmet Scholl, was able to train fully over the past few days after nursing a bruised foot and should play in Sapporo.