German national soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger attends a news conference in Santo Andre near Porto Seguro, Brazil, Sunday, July 6, 2014. Germany faces Brazil on upcoming Tuesday in Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, in the semifinals of the World Cup. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (The Associated Press)
PORTO SEGURO, Brazil – Bastian Schweinsteiger's fragile left knee has been a matter of concern for weeks and the reason the Germany midfielder started the World Cup on the bench. Now he's fit again just as the tournament gets into the decisive stage.
Germany coach Joachim Loew considers Schweinsteiger one of his key players, the man who controls the pace of his team's game and sets quick transitions in motion once he wins the ball.
But Schweinsteiger was on the bench when the tournament started because he was not yet fully fit after a lingering knee injury that forced him to miss of Germany's pre-World Cup training camp.
He has been in the starting line-up for the last three games and says Loew was right to give him time to get back in shape.
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