Borussia Dortmund and Germany defender Mats Hummels has claimed that Bastian Schweinsteiger's recent knee injury is a serious blow to the national team as they prepare for two important friendlies ahead of the European Championships.

'Basti' faces a race to make the Euro's

Schweinsteiger suffered a partial ligament tear in his knee during a training session and is now in danger of missing out on the big tournament in France this summer. The midfielder has been a constant in the German squad for the majority of his career and his absence would be a big loss to the world champions.

Hummels believes his teammate's injury will be a serious concern for Germany heading into the big tournament this summer. He told the German Football Assocation's website, "It is very annoying for Bastian, but also for the team. He is our captain. I obviously hope his injury will not keep him out of the Euros."

If Schweinsteiger cannot recover in time for the Euro's, while he is getting older, his experience and leadership is extremely valuable to the Germany team, as proven at the 2014 World Cup. Hummels' concern is with good reason as his teammate is vital to the cause and while there are players who can step in and fill his void comfortably, Schweinsteiger is a key component in the national team.

Injury blow to Germany and Man Utd

Hummels will likely be one of the first names in the Euro's squad and despite Schweinsteiger's up and down season at Manchester United, he would likely be on the plane to France in June.

Germany face England on Saturday and Italy the following week but they will be without their captain. Despite having plenty of talent to cover for the injured Manchester United man, it's clear that Hummels is correct in saying the injury to Schweinsteiger is a huge blow to the preparation for Euro 2016.

Schweinsteiger will miss valuable matches for his club and country (photo: getty)
Schweinsteiger will miss valuable matches for his club and country (photo: getty)
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About the author
Harry  Harris
Covering the Premier League, Bundesliga and NFL. Writing for VAVEL since May 2014. Chelsea FC and Atlanta sports.