Speaking to the media after Germany’s victory over Hungary on Saturday, Manchester United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger has issued an update on his fitness.
The playmaker was introduced as a second-half substitute in the match in Gelsenkirchen—which Joachim Low’s side won 2-0—although he clearly still has concerns about his potential participation at the European Championships.
“[Playing] 25 to 30 minutes was quite good,” Schweinsteiger told the media, as reported by Suddeutsche Zeitung, after the match.
“But 90 minutes in the first game is not likely,” he continued, looking ahead to the Germans’ opener against Northern Ireland on June 21. “I’m definitely fitter than I was before the 2014 World Cup, when I could hardly do anything.”
However, even if Schweinsteiger does manage to feature in the reigning world champions’ opener, it remains to be seen if he can be a regular contributor for the national side for the duration of the competition, having come off an underwhelming—and injury-hit—maiden Premier League season with Manchester United.
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The veteran managed just 13 Premier League starts last term, and wholly failed to find the consistency required to become a cornerstone of the Red Devils’ game under Louis van Gaal.
Should Schweinsteiger’s fitness concerns limit his participation this summer, Low will be able to call upon the likes of Emre Can, Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos to occupy the central-midfield berths.