TEAM NEWS: Mario Gotze starts for Germany while Ganso omitted from Brazil squad

Aug 10, 2011 6:50:00 PM

Borussia Dortmund starlet takes on Mesut Ozil's usual role in the playmaker position, while Santos attacker has been replaced by Fernandinho

Mario Gotze has been handed his first start for Germany, while Ganso has been omitted from Brazil's starting XI as the South American and European giants clash in Stuttgart on Wednesday evening.

After declining to call up Mesut Ozil, Germany coach Joachim Low has selected Gotze to fill in the role of central playmaker.

Gotze's opposite will be Fernandinho, who was a surprise inclusion in the Brazil squad ahead of Ganso. The Santos No. 10 has been a regular feature for Mano Menezes, but the coach opted to use the Shakhtar man instead.

Brazil also received a boost heading into Wednesday's match as Neymar passed a late fitness test. The young forward woke up with a fever earlier in the day and was confirmed absent by the Brazilian Football Confederation. However, that changed later in the evening as Menezes named him to his starting XI.

Menezes' starting line-up is quite similar to that which featured at the Copa America, with just two changes. In addition to the swap of Fernandinho in place of Ganso, the coach has chosen Ralf in central midfield ahead of the absent Lucas Leiva.

Germany's squad is more experimental, with skipper Philipp Lahm moving from the right to the left side of defence. Christian Trasch will start on the right, with Mats Hummels and Holger Badstuber in the centre. In place of Sami Khedira, who was not called up to Low's squad, Toni Kroos will start alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Germany starting line-up: Neuer; Trasch, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm; Schweinsteiger, Kroos; Muller, Gotze, Podolski; Gomez

Brazil starting line-up: Julio Cesar; Daniel Alves, Lucio, Thiago Silva, Andre Santos; Ralf, Ramires; Robinho, Fernandinho, Neymar; Pato

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