Germany coach Joachim Low said Torsten Frings could play against Turkey despite suffering from a fractured rib. The midfielder was back in training on Monday having missed the quarter-final win over Portugal.

Turkey face the prospect of having just 13 outfield players available for their Euro 2008 semi-clash. Keeper Volkan Demirel will miss out after his two-match ban was upheld for a red card against Czech Republic and Emre (hamstring) was also ruled out.

Coach Terim said Tumer Metin might be able to play the last 30 minutes of the match despite suffering from a groin strain and he may also have to field third-choice keeper Tolgan Zengin because of the injury crisis. "He could come on towards the end as a sub as last man in defence or a centre forward," he said. The Turks were without six players when they beat Croatia 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals Friday, and lost a further three - Tuncay Sanli, Arda Turan and Emre Asik - to suspension after picking up yellow cards during the match at Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna.

Striker Nihat Kahveci was ruled out of the tournament on Sunday with a thigh injury, but Uefa insists it will not be making a special dispensation for Turkey to call up more players to their squad. Defensive midfielder Mehmet Aurelio returns from a one-match ban, but keeper Volkan still has one game left on his suspension. Uefa spokesman William Gaillard said: "You can't replace any players after the first game of the tournament has been played. "We know some teams are facing difficulties, but this is a hard rule of the tournament. We have no intention of changing the tournament rules. "If a team only had eight players to choose from before a match, then we might call an emergency meeting. But we have had no requests and we would find it a bit difficult changing now."

BIG MATCH STATS
Head-to-heads

Germany and Turkey have played each other on 17 occasions with Germany winning 11 and losing three.

Turkey are unbeaten in three successive meetings with Germany, recording two wins and one draw.

Germany's last win over the Turks dates back to May 1992, when they won 1-0 in a friendly encounter.

Their only previous meetings at a major tournament came at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, when West Germany won 4-1 and 7-2.

Their last meeting in all competitions was a friendly in October 2005, in which Turkey prevailed 2-1 in Istanbul, through goals by Halil Altintop and Nuri Sahin. Oliver Neuville scored the German goal in injury time.

Team facts - Germany

Played five previous European Championship semi-final matches, progressing on four occasions.

Their sole semi-final defeat came in 1988, when West Germany were knocked out by eventual winners the Netherlands (2-1).

Both Germany and Turkey finished second in their group at Euro 2008. The last two European champions (Greece in 2004 and France in 2000) also finished second in their group.

Team facts - Turkey

This is Turkey's first European Championship semi-final. Their only previous appearance in the last four of a major tournament came at the 2002 World Cup when they were defeated 1-0 by Brazil.

Been in the lead for only nine minutes in their four matches played at Euro 2008. Including injury time, Turkey were in the lead for 2.5 minutes against Switzerland and 6.5 minutes against the Czech Republic.

Trailed in all four matches at Euro 2008 and yet still managed two wins and a draw. These three comebacks, against Switzerland, Czech Republic and Croatia, equal the record number of comebacks in a single European Championship finals, made by Czech Republic in 2004.

Player facts - Germany

Bastian Schweinsteiger has a goal, an assist, a yellow card and a red card to his name at Euro 2008. The only other player to have achieved this feat is Denmark's Klaus Berggreen in 1984.

If he plays, Kevin Kuranyi will win his 50th cap for Germany. He made his international debut in March 2003 in a 1-1 draw against Lithuania.

Michael Ballack has scored in two successive European Championship matches (against Portugal and Austria).

Ballack and Lukas Podolski both need two goals to equal Jurgen Klinsmann's German record of five in the European Championship.

Ballack has now scored 38 international goals. Only six German players (Muller, Klinsmann, Voller, Rummenigge, Seeler and Klose) have scored more goals.

Player facts - Turkey

By scoring twice at Euro 2008, Arda Turan, Nihat Kahveci and Semih Senturk have all equalled Hakan Sukur as Turkey's joint top scorers in European Championship history.

If they take to the field, Hamit Altintop will come up against his Bayern Munich team mates Marcell Jansen, Phillip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski.

If he plays, Gokdeniz Karadeniz will win his 50th cap for Turkey. He made his international debut in a 4-0 defeat against the Czech Republic in April 2003.

35-year-old Rustu Recber is the oldest ever Turkish player in a major tournament (European Championship and World Cup combined). Rustu is Turkey's most capped player with 117 internationals and also the most experienced Turkish player in the European Championship with eight matches to his name.

Tuncay Sanli, Arda Turan and Emre Asik are suspended for this semi-final. Goalkeeper Volkan Demirel is also suspended pending his appeal.

So far, Turkey have received 15 cards at Euro 2008, only four shy of the competition record set by the Czech Republic in 1996.

Germany View: Ballack warns of Turkish threat
Germany captain Michael Ballack believes semi-final opponents Turkey will provide a stiff test on Wednesday because they have a "German mentality". Joachim Low's side are odds-on to beat Fatih Terim's Turkey, who have been decimated by injuries and suspensions. "Turkey have a very German mentality," the 31-year-old Chelsea midfielder told Die Welt newspaper. "They will be a difficult adversary who have nothing to lose because reaching the semis is already an achievement." He added: "They have shown a strong belief and they've scored goals in the closing stages of their matches - it's is something that only Germany does normally."

Coach Low agreed with Ballack's sentiments. "After winning two or three games, the euphoria is huge and Turkey are extremely convinced in their ability," he stated. "They have been an uncomfortable opponent throughout this tournament and have some technically strong players. Turks have a remarkable mentality, are self-confident and can always strike back."

Meanwhile, Low admitted he thought about quitting after his side's 2-1 defeat by Croatia in their second group game at Euro 2008. Germany have since rallied to beat Austria and shrugged aside Portugal in the last eight. However, Low told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper: "Obviously I had these thoughts (of resigning) but I tried to turn them into positives and not get me down. I try to give the team an air of optimism."

Germany would have gone out of the tournament had they lost to Austria and an early exit would have put Low's position under threat. "We would have had to sit down and consider how the atmosphere was and if it was worth continuing," he added. "I cannot say what would have happened. Maybe a lot would have collapsed around us." Captain Ballack has also hit out at Bayern Munich for unsettling Germany striker Mario Gomez, after they began talks with Stuttgart over the 22-year-old last week. "I certainly find it odd negotiations are taking place during the European Championship," admitted Ballack. "That is not good for the player and disturbs concentration. I have always had the view that I have done something before or after a tournament, so that you don't have to be busy with it during the tournament."

Turkey View: Altintop confident of Turkey win
Turkey midfielder Hamit Altintop said his side's "collective spirit" will help them overcome Germany to reach the final of Euro 2008. "Of course Germany are favourites but there's no reason why we can't beat them," said the German-born midfielder ahead of Wednesday's semi-final. I'm not worried at all, our strength is our collective spirit, I'm sure we can progress to the final." In 17 games between the sides since 1951, Germany have won 11 encounters.

Meanwhile, Turkey forward Colin Kazim-Richards says he wants to knock Germany out as a favour to England. "It's not only because I'm Turkish, I'm English as well so to play the Germans is incredible," stated Kazim-Richards. "If we beat them it's a party for England too. I hope we can beat them, anything is possible as we have shown."

Turkey defeated Croatia in stunning circumstances on Friday, conceding a goal in the 119th minute only for Semih Senturk to ram in an equaliser with only seconds of extra time remaining. They won the penalty shoot-out 3-1 to progress to the last four, where they will meet Joachim Low's improving Germany. And Kazim-Richards, who played for Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United before joining Turkish side Fenerbahce last summer, wants to do the country of his birth another favour after dumping out Croatia, who cost England a place at Euro 2008.

Germany's penalty shoot-out wins in the 1990 World Cup semi-final and the Euro 1996 semi-final still rankle with many England fans. "England wanted the Croatians to get beaten," he added. "I've got loads of texts from people in England who wanted Croatia to lose because they beat England. Personally, I'm happy that we beat Croatia for England as well. I wanted to play in tournaments like this, without meaning any disrespect I didn't want to play in League One and League Two. I wanted to play against the best and now I've capitalised on my chances and my opportunities. Now I'm playing here. It's incredible - what a journey."