German Coach Downgrades Players' Flu To 'Slight Cold' Ahead Of France Match

German coach Joachim Low downgraded the illness ailing several of his players from flu-like symptoms to "a slight cold" in a late Thursday interview previewing the team's Friday match-up against the French.

The statement put some fans at ease headed into the contest, as it provided reassurance that the squad would most likely not be missing a significant number of players. Earlier that day, Low caused a scare among German supporters with statements that suggested seven players were possibly coming down with the flu on the eve of the crucial match.

But in the later interview, Low addressed the situation head-on, and the team's official lineup does not appear to have been ravaged by sickness.

"From yesterday until today all the players were able to play," he said in the interview. "There's still a slight cold, but there's no feeling of exhaustion. I just hope they all stay stable until tomorrow, and we don't have any problems overnight."

Click here to check out the full interview, as captured by The Telegraph. Video of the full interview is embedded within the pre-match coverage.

Despite all the rumors flying about his squad's health Low said in the Thursday interview the French team's skill level is "motivation" for him and his players.

"France has been stable in their performances so far. I think we're equal. We're going to go into the pitch with a lot of self confidence."

Here's the team sheet for Friday's match, outlining the squads' lineups, as tweeted out by the Daily Telegraph's Henry Winter:

Low triggered great concern in his earlier interview Thursday when he said seven of his players were exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Low didn't say which players were ill, but he said most of them had "throat aches," the BBC reported.

"It's too early to make any final decisions about the lineup," Low said. "It's not all that bad at the moment. I don't want to dramatize it."

German stars Mats Hummels and Christoph Kramer were reportedly sick earlier this week, and Hummels missed the team's match against Algeria Monday. The Germans ended up winning 2-1, but not without an overtime scare that called the team's performance in the lopsided matchup into question.

Hummels was kept isolated from his teammates and was back in the lineup for Friday's match.