Austria, Belgium and Turkey look to close in

Germany are eight points clear in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group A following five straight wins. Belgium are their closest challengers after ending Austria's unbeaten record on Friday and will look to close the gap when they welcome Azerbaijan. Austria have the chance to bounce back from that loss to Belgium at fourth-placed Turkey. UEFA.com rounds up the team news.

25 March: Austria v Belgium
26 March: Germany v Kazakhstan
29 March: Turkey v Austria, Belgium v Azerbaijan

Latest standings

Germany
Promising 1. FSV Mainz 05 forward André Schürrle returns alongside Mario Gomez, Toni Kroos and goalkeeper Tim Wiese, but SV Werder Bremen's Marko Marin misses out. "We have several alternatives in many positions," said coach Joachim Löw. "André is performing consistently this season and has done well so he is back. This time he was picked ahead of Marko Marin and Kevin Grosskreutz, who are still part of our plans."

Goalkeepers: René Adler (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (FC Schalke 04), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen).

Defenders: Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), Holger Badstuber (FC Bayern München), Jerome Boateng (Manchester City FC), Arne Friedrich (VfL Wolfsburg), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Per Mertesacker (SV Werder Bremen), Marcel Schmelzer (Bourssia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München).

Midfielders: Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund), Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid CF), Toni Kroos (FC Bayern München), Thomas Müller (FC Bayern München), Mesut Özil (Real Madrid CF), Lukas Podolski (1. FC Köln), Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern München), Christian Träsch (VfB Stuttgart).

Forwards: Mario Gomez (FC Bayern München), Miroslav Klose (FC Bayern München), André Schürrle (1. FSV Mainz 05).

Austria
Absent from recent fixtures through injury, Ekrem Dağ, Ümit Korkmaz, Marc Janko and Martin Harnik are back, with goalkeeper Pascal Grünwald the only uncapped player in Dietmar Constantini's selection. Midfielder Paul Scharner will serve his match ban against Belgium having been sent off in the 4-4 draw between those sides on 12 October. Veli Kavlak (fractured kneecap) is the only notable absentee.

Goalkeepers: Pascal Grünwald (FC Wacker Innsbruck), Jürgen Macho (Panionios GSS), Helge Payer (SK Rapid Wien).

Defenders: Ekrem Dağ (Beşiktaş JK), Aleksandar Dragović (FC Basel 1893), Christian Fuchs (1. FSV Mainz 05), Florian Klein (FK Austria Wien), Emanuel Pogatetz (Hannover 96), Sebastian Prödl (SV Werder Bremen), Franz Schiemer (FC Salzburg), Manuel Ortlechner (FK Austria Wien)*.

Midfielders: David Alaba (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Marko Arnautović (SV Werder Bremen), Julian Baumgartlinger (FK Austria Wien), Martin Harnik (VfB Stuttgart), Zlatko Junuzović (FK Austria Wien), Ümit Korkmaz (VfL Bochum 1848), Yasin Pehlivan (SK Rapid Wien), Paul Scharner (West Bromwich Albion FC).

Forwards: Erwin Hoffer (1. FC Kaiserslautern), Marc Janko (FC Twente), Roland Linz (FK Austria Wien), Stefan Maierhofer (MSV Duisburg), Roman Wallner (FC Salzburg).

Turkey
Coach Guus Hiddink is without his captain, Fenerbahçe SK midfielder Emre Belözoğlu, because of a calf strain, and reserve goalkeeper Onur Kıvrak, who has torn cruciate ligaments. The Dutchman may hand an international debut to Cenk Tosun, the 19-year-old Gaziantepspor striker who played for Germany at youth level but committed to Turkey earlier this month. Midfield duo Mehmet Topal and Mehmet Topuz have earned first international call-ups since Turkey's tour of the United States last May.

Goalkeepers: Volkan Demirel (Fenerbahçe SK), Sinan Bolat (R. Standard de Liège), Mert Günok (Fenerbahçe SK).

Defenders: Gökhan Gönül (Fenerbahçe SK), Serdar Kesimal (Kayserispor), Gökhan Zan (Galatasaray AŞ), Servet Çetin (Galatasaray AŞ), Emre Güngör (Gaziantepspor), İsmail Köybaşı (Beşiktaş JK), Hakan Balta (Galatasaray AŞ).

Midfielders: Mehmet Topuz (Fenerbahçe SK), Selçuk İnan (Trabzonspor AŞ), Yekta Kurtuluş (Galatasaray AŞ), Mehmet Topal (Valencia CF), Nuri Şahin (Borussia Dortmund), Mehmet Ekici (1. FC Nürnberg), Hamit Altıntop (FC Bayern München), Arda Turan (Galatasaray AŞ).

Forwards: Kazım Kazım (Galatasaray AŞ), Tunay Torun (Hamburger SV), Cenk Tosun (Gaziantepspor), Umut Bulut (Trabzonspor AŞ), Burak Yılmaz (Trabzonspor AŞ), Semih Şentürk (Fenerbahçe SK).

Belgium
Marouane Fellaini, Marvin Ogunjimi and Jonathan Legear miss out through injury, but Belgium can once more call on defender Anthony Vanden Borre, who won the last of his 22 caps against Spain on 5 September 2009. After a loan period at Portsmouth FC last season, he was sold by Genoa CFC to KRC Genk in the summer, but has only been eligible to play for them since January. "Everyone knows his qualities," said coach Georges Leekens. "He has been through a difficult spell."  Uncapped 18-year-old Thibaut Courtois has been drafted in as a late replacement for goalkeeper Silvio Proto, who has a back injury.

Goalkeepers: Silvio Proto (RSC Anderlecht), Jean-François Gillet (AS Bari), Simon Mignolet (Sunderland AFC), Thibaut Courtois (KRC Genk)*.

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (AFC Ajax), Laurent Ciman (R. Standard de Liège), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City FC), Nicolas Lombaerts (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Sébastien Pocognoli (R. Standard de Liège), Daniel Van Buyten (FC Bayern München), Jan Vertonghen (AFC Ajax), Anthony Vanden Borre (KRC Genk).

Midfielders: Steven Defour (R. Standard de Liège), Vadis Odjidja (Club Brugge KV), Timmy Simons (1. FC Nürnberg), Jelle Van Damme (R. Standard de Liège), Axel Witsel (R. Standard de Liège), Eden Hazard (LOSC Lille Métropole).

Forwards: Nacer Chadli (FC Twente), Moussa Dembélé (Fulham FC), Romelu Lukaku (RSC Anderlecht), Dries Mertens (FC Utrecht), Kevin Mirallas (Olympiacos FC), Marvin Ogunjimi (KRC Genk), Björn Vleminckx (NEC Nijmegen), Jelle Vossen (KRC Genk), Tom De Sutter (RSC Anderlecht)*.

Azerbaijan
Injured Mahir Shukurov is the only foreign-based player in Azerbaijan's squad for the qualifier against Belgium. "Last year I took part in all the national team's matches and I don't want to miss this one," he said. Berti Vogts gave a surprise call-up to young goalkeeper Andrey Popovich from second division FC Absheron, while defender Maksim Medvedev and midfielder Afran Ismayilov are injured.

Goalkeepers: Kamran Agayev (Xäzär Länkäran FK), Farkhad Veliyev (Qarabağ FK), Andrey Popovich (FC Absheron).

Defenders: Vladimir Levin (FC İnter Bakı), Ruslan Abushev (Neftçi PFK), Rail Melikov (Neftçi PFK), Jemshid Maharramov (Bakı FK), Rashad F. Sadygov (Qarabağ FK), Elnur Allahverdiyev (Xäzär Länkäran FK), Saša Yunisoğlu (Qäbälä PFK), Vurgun Huseynov (Turan PFK).

Midfielders: Mahir Shukurov (FC Anzhi Makhachkala), Aleksandr Chertoganov (FC İnter Bakı), Elvin Mammadov (Qarabağ FK), Samir Abbasov (Qarabağ FK), Rahid Amirguliyev (Xäzär Länkäran FK), Araz Abdullayev (Neftçi PFK), Javid Huseynov (Neftçi PFK).

Forwards: Vugar Nadyrov (Qarabağ FK), Rauf Aliyev (Qarabağ FK), Vagif Dzhavadov (Bakı FK).

Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan coach Miroslav Beránek is deprived of three key players in his first competitive match as Andrei Karpovich, Aleksandr Kirov and Samat Smakov are all sidelined. "Kazakhstan will need to play against Germany in fifth gear," said Beránek, who replaced Bernd Storck in January. FC Aktobe captain Samat Smakov was deprived a place after injuring an ear and suffering concussion a day before the squad was announced.

Goalkeepers: Aleksandr Mokin (FC Shakhter Karagandy), Andrei Sidelnikov (FC Aktobe), David Loria (FC Irtysh Pavlodar).

Defenders: Aleksandr Kislitsyn (FC Tobol Kostanay), Farkhadbek Irismetov (FC Ordabasy Shymkent), Mikhail Rozhkov (FC Lokomotiv Astana), Renat Abdulin (FC Vostok), Vladislav Chernyshov (FC Irtysh Pavlodar), Dmitri Shomko (FC Irtysh Pavlodar), Anton Chichulin (FC Aktobe), Kairat Nurdauletov (FC Lokomotiv Astana), Yuri Logvinenko (FC Aktobe).

Midfielders: Azat Nurgaliyev (FC Ordabasy Shymkent), Ulan Konysbayev (FC Lokomotiv Astana), Sergei Skorykh (FC Zhetysu Taldykorgan), Kazbek Geteriyev (FC Zhemchuzhina Sochi), Maksim Azovski (FC Lokomotiv Astana), Zhambyl Kukeyev (FC Shakhter Karagandy), Maksat Baizhanov (FC Shakhter Karagandy), Evgeni Averchenko (FC Aktobe).

Forwards: Nurbol Zhumaskaliyev (FC Lokomotiv Astana), Sergei Ostapenko (FC Zhetysu Taldykorgan), Sergei Khizhnichenko (FC Shakhter Karagandy), Sergey Lisenkov (FC Aktobe).

Players in italics have withdrawn.
*Denotes replacement player.