Germany rocked by Tyrol turbulence
Coach Loew front and centre as the European heavyweights' final training camp for the World Cup is hit by a series of misadventures
Germany's World Cup preparation has been hit by a week of turbulence in which a car crash, injuries, a scandal and a driving ban have all caused disruption.
Head coach Joachim Loew took his squad to a luxury, five-star hotel in south Tyrol's St Leonhard for 10 days to prepare his stars for their World Cup group G campaign, which starts on June 16 against Portugal in Salvador.
Yet a series of unfortunate incidents have left some squad members seeking the services of the team's sports psychologist, Hans-Dieter Hermann.
The images will stay in my head for a long time. I have talked it over with the coach, the team and the backroom staff
Defender Kevin Grosskreutz caused a scandal just before the camp started by urinating in the foyer of a Berlin hotel after the German Cup final, the same match where captain Philipp Lahm and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer picked up worrying injuries.
Loew was also hit with a six-month driving ban as the German Football Association (DFB) daily press conferences became an exercise in damage limitation.
But the worst was still to come on Tuesday when a 63-year-old German was seriously injured after being hit by a car driven by professional touring car racer Pascal Wehrlein, 19, with Germany centreback Benedikt Hoewedes as his passenger.
A course steward was also hurt in the accident during the Mercedes-sponsored event - which included Formula One star and Monaco Grand Prix winner Nico Rosberg - on the grounds of the team hotel.
The product presentation, which had allowed Germany's World Cup stars to hitch a ride with professional drivers, quickly turned into a public relations nightmare for both Mercedes and the DFB.