Germany face Hungary test

Germany are preparing for life without captain Michael Ballack when they face Hungary in Budapest on Saturday in their penultimate warm-up match.

With Ballack out with an ankle injury, Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm will take over the captain's armband to captain the side in South Africa, but striker Miroslav Klose will lead Germany in Budapest.

The Bayern quartet of Lahm, Germany's vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt and midfielder Thomas Muller are being rested by Joachim Low for the Hungary game as the coach looks at different options.

Coached by former Dutch midfielder Erwin Koeman, the Hungarians are expected to give the Germans the same kind of test at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium as Group D opponents Serbia in South Africa.

With Ballack out and Klose leading the side, Loew has named Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer between the posts in Budapest in place of injured first-choice Rene Adler.

Bremen's Tim Wiese will be on the bench with Bayern's 35-year-old goalkeeper Butt part of the quartet kept back at the north Italian training camp to work on their fitness.

Neuer will be Germany's first-choice goalkeeper in South Africa and Low is looking forward to assessing the form of several squad members in a game environment including Hamburg's Marcell Jansen after an ankle injury.

"We want to see some things we have been working on in training implemented in the Hungary game," said Low. "We will take this game very seriously.

"I also have the opportunity again to look at one or two things. For example, I can see how Marcell copes again, whether he is able to play to his best again and prove his match fitness."

While Germany lost both midfielders Ballack and Christian Traesch with ankle injuries in recent weeks, Hungary have a few injury concerns of their own.

"The conditions for preparation could have been better," said Koeman. "There have been a few injuries and this match is a big challenge for us, but it is essential to play the big teams like Germany or the Netherlands to get us ready for our EURO 2012 campaign."