Hamburg  - Forward Lukas Podolski is unavialbale for Germany's World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan due to injury, the German football federation DFB said on Saturday.

Podolski, 24, has been nursing thigh muscle problems which forced him to sit out Cologne's Bundesliga opener earlier Saturday. He told Germany coach Joachim Loew that he can not play on Wednesday in Baku.

The DFB said that Loew will not nominate another player in Podolski's place even though regular starter Miroslav Klose is sidelined as well. (dpa)