Neuer to miss Australia friendly with knee injury, Loew calls decision 'precautionary'

Berlin - Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been ruled out of the world champions' friendly against Australia on Wednesday with a knee injury, coach Joachim Loew has confirmed.

Loew said the 28-year-old, voted the best goalkeeper at last year's World Cup, will sit out the match at Kaiserslautern's Fritz Walter Stadion with a light infection of the meniscus in his knee as a 'precautionary measure'.

His place will go to either Borussia Dortmund's Roman Weidenfeller or Hannover's Ron-Robert Zieler, but Neuer's injury boosts Australia's hopes of pulling off another upset after their 2-1 win in 2011, which was the Socceroos first win over Germany at the fourth attempt.

The Bayern Munich shot-stopper is expected to play in Sunday's Euro 2016 qualifier away to Georgia, with Germany joining second in their group behind leaders Poland and level with Ireland and Scotland.

"We have decided that Manuel won't play on Wednesday, he has a light infection which will get better quickly with rest and we didn't want to risk him," explained Loew.

"We haven't decided who will replace him against Australia, but there is no risk against Georgia.

"We wanted to give him the time to recover so that he will be fit."