Berlin (dpa) – Germany coach Joachim Loew has kicked Wolfsburg striker Max Kruse out of the national squad for upcoming friendlies for unprofessional behaviour, the German Football Association

(DFB) said Monday.

«Even last week I have clearly told Max Kruse what I expect from him on and off the pitch,» Loew was quoted as saying. «I want players to focus on football and the European championships even between matches.»

Kruse, capped 14 times by Germany, got into a dispute Saturday after being photographed in a Berlin nightclub celebrating his 28th birthday.

He had recently been fined by Wolfsburg for leaving a bag full of cash in a taxi and warned over his diet.

«Max has repeatedly behaved unprofessionally and I do not accept it,»

Loew said. «The European Championship casts a long shadow and we have big goals there as a national team.

«We need players who are focused, concentrated and aware of their status as role models.»

World champions Germany are scheduled to play home friendlies against England on March 26 and Italy on March 29 as part of their preparations for Euro 2016 in France and will do so without Kruse.

The rest of the now 26-man squad is scheduled to meet up in Berlin on Tuesday before a first training session Wednesday. Mario Gomez (Besiktas), Mario Goetze (Bayern Munich) and Kevin Volland

(Hoffenheim) are the three remaining strikers in the party.