Soccer:Germany holding midfielder Sami Khedira is doubtful for their 2014 World Cup qualifier at home to Sweden on Tuesday after picking up a muscle injury, coach Joachim Loew said.

“We have just one problem at the moment, the question of Sami Khedira,” Loew told reporters on Monday. “We do not know 100 per cent whether Sami will be fit to play as he was treated today and will continue this evening.”

The Real Madrid player was injured in Germany's 6-1 win against Ireland in Dublin on Friday. Germany top Group C with nine points from three games with Sweden in second place on six.

Loew will have captain Philipp Lahm back in the squad after serving his one-match suspension.

“Defensively we did it very well (in Dublin). But obviously Philipp Lahm will return to the team after the end of his suspension.”

Lahm is expected to start as right back in the place of Bayern Munich team-mate Jerome Boateng with Marcel Schmelzer, who was sharply criticised by Loew before the Ireland game, retaining his spot as left back.

“My choice of words was very, very unfortunate,” said Loew of his comments regarding Schmelzer last week, when he said the Borussia Dortmund defender had played badly against Austria in September but there were no other choices in his position.

“That was not meant to come out that way. The choice of words was out of order. I have discussed it with him,” said Loew, who had already made amends by praising the player after the win in Dublin where Schmelzer set up Germany's first goal.