Schweinsteiger expects to be fit for Euro 2016

German skipper has been out injured since March, hopes to be named in final-23

ASCONA: Bastian Schweinsteiger is confident he would recover from a knee injury in time to captain Germany at the European Championship, even though it remained unclear when he would return to the pitch.

“I’m doing well, I am very confident,” he told journalists at a press conference in the Swiss town of Ascona, where the German national squad has set up its training camp ahead of the tournament in France.

“I am trying to do a bit more day by day,” said Schweinsteiger, who has 114 caps, adding that his recovery was well within schedule.



The World Cup winning midfielder has not played since tearing his knee ligament while training with Germany in March.

But coach Joachim Low has named him in a preliminary Euro 2016 squad of 27, which has to be trimmed to 23 by next Tuesday.

Low said he was giving Schweinsteiger until Friday or Saturday before deciding.

“He has achieved a lot physically in the last few weeks, and that’s a good basis. I am optimistic about the coming weeks,” said Low, adding that the midfield general would need “a few days” before returning to the pitch.



France to deploy 60,000 police

France said yesterday it will deploy more than 60,000 police to provide security for Euro 2016 as it vowed to do “everything possible to avoid a terrorist attack” during the tournament that starts next month.

The comments from Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve came after the Stade de France in Paris, which will host the event’s opening match and final, descended into chaos on Saturday before the national cup final after smoke bombs were set off inside the stadium, sparking panic among crowds that clustered at the stadium’s exits.

Cazeneuve told the sports daily l’Equipe that the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille “did not serve as a test” for Euro 2016.



“It was not the same public, not the same organiser, nor the same security deployment,” he said. “However, what happened will be taken into account” ahead of the month-long football tournament, which kicks of June 10.

“We are doing everything to avoid a terrorist attack, and we are preparing to respond. More than 60,000 police will be on the ground,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2016.

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