Germany start Nations League/Euro qualifying without Popp, Hegering

German women's coach Horst Hrubesch and Alexandra Popp take part in a training session ahead of the UEFA Women's Nations League soccer match between France and Germany at Groupama Stadium. Sebastian Gollnow/dpa

Captain Alexandra Popp and key defender Martina Hegering are absent with injury but Bibiane Schulze Solano got a first call-up on Tuesday for German women's Nations League matches which double up as Euro 2025 qualifiers.

Apart from Athletic Bilbao defender Schulze Solano, the 23-player squad announced by coach Horst Hrubesch also includes Inter Milan's Lina Magull and several others who were not picked for previous games.

Germany play Austria on April 5 and Iceland on April in a group which also includes Poland. The games are part of the new Nations League campaign and qualifiers for next year's Euros in Switzerland.

They are the first since Germany came third in the last Nations League and qualified for this summer's Paris Olympics by beating the Netherlands 2-0 last month.

Hrubesch will have to do without Popp, who is sidelined with a knee injury, and her Wolfsburg team-mate who has suffered a calf muscle tear. Also absent is Svenja Huth who ended her national team career last week.

"We have to accept the situation and give other players the chance to show what they are capable of," Hrubsch said in a statement issued by the national federation DFB.

"We want to take the momentum from our successful qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris with us, we want to attack and build on our performance against the Netherlands.

"I'm sure that if we manage to do that, we'll make a successful start to the European Championship qualifiers," he said.