Werder defender Per Mertesacker was nominated for the German national team's first international match of 2011 by coach Joachim Löw. The German team and Werder's vice captain will take on Italy on Wednesday, 9 February 2011 at 8:45 p.m. at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park.
"The encounter against Italy is a special match in which two giant football nations will face off," said the German coach. Löw also explained why Werder keeper Tim Wiese was not nominated by saying: "We talked about it. Tim is suspended for three games and therefore we decided to take Rene Adler with us as second keeper."
But another Bremen player can be happy about a nomination as Felix Kroos was called up for the German U21 national team. It is the first nomination for Rainer Adrion's German U21 team for the 19-year-old Kroos, who came to Bremen before the season from Hansa Rostock. Kroos had previously played for Germany at the U16, U17, U18 and U19 levels.