Bastian Schweinsteiger: Germany confirm that Manchester United midfielder has partial MCL tear

Bastian Schweinsteiger's fitness struggles look set to continue after the German Football Association (DFB) provided an official update on his latest injury problem. The Manchester United midfielder returned to action earlier this month after eight weeks out with a torn medial ligament. He appeared as a second-half substitute in both legs of the Europa League last-16 tie against Liverpool as well as an FA Cup quarter-final draw with West Ham and a derby victory at Manchester City.

The former Bayern Munich stalwart, who was appointed as Germany's new captain in September 2014 following the post-World Cup international retirement of Philipp Lahm, was named in Joachim Low's 27-man squad for pre-Euro 2016 friendlies against England and Italy, before suffering another injury to his right knee during a training session. The DFB subsequently confirmed that Schweinsteiger would be sent for an MRI scan in Munich, and has now revealed he has sustained a partial tear of his medial collateral ligament (MCL).

"World champion Bastian Schweinsteiger has been ruled out of the friendlies against England on Saturday in Berlin and Italy on Tuesday in Munich," a statement read. "The 31-year-old captain suffered a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee following a challenge at the end of training on Tuesday afternoon.

"The diagnosis was confirmed following an MRI scan at the practice of team doctor Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt in Munich earlier today. He will treatment will be carried out by the medical team at his club Manchester United, in co-ordination with the Germany national team's doctors."

No timeline has been yet been placed on Schweinsteiger's recovery, although there have been whispers that he could be set to miss the rest of the season. Following that morale-boosting 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium, United remain sixth but are just a point adrift of their local rivals in fourth.

Mesut Ozil missed Germany's latest training session as a result of the ankle problem he sustained at Everton last weekend. Bayer Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi also sat out with a bruised foot, although the DFB insists that both players remained at the team hotel for treatment. Wolfsburg's Max Kruse was recently dropped from the squad due to behaviour that Low deemed "unprofessional".