FREIBURG, Germany, June 6 (Reuters) - Lothar Matthaeus, warming up for the final tournament of his prolific international career, returns from injury when Germany entertain little Liechtenstein on Wednesday in their last test before they begin the defence of their European title.

The 39-year-old libero, who missed Saturday's convincing 3-2 win over the Czech Republic, has fully recovered from a thigh muscle strain and will extend his world record to 147 caps in the Freiburg match.

Matthaeus, now playing for New York-New Jersey MetroStars, has said Euro 2000, starting on June 10, will mark his last campaign for the German team, whom he captained to victory at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

Midfield dynamo Jens Jeremies, who has been sidelined with a fractured collarbone, should also be fit to play and head coach Erich Ribbeck has made it clear he counts on him.

Jeremies had upset Ribbeck by harshly criticising the national team and was dumped for a 1-1 draw with Switzerland on April 26 as a result.

Striker Ulf Kirsten, who was left out of Saturday's game in Nuremberg because he was nursing as sore calf, should be back in action as well.

'I am confident all the players who had been out injured will be available,' said Ribbeck, who is expected to pair Kirsten with his Bayer Leverkusen team mate Paulo Rink up front in his starting line-up.

Oliver Bierhoff, who scored twice against the Czechs after coming on in the second half, is once again expected to start on the substitutes' bench.

The AC Milan striker, who had gone through 616 painful minutes without a goal for Germany before he struck his first on Saturday, was confirmed as the team's captain.

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn will wear the captain's armband when Bierhoff is not on the pitch.

Some of the gloom which engulfed the former world champions after a string of uninspired performance has lifted as their first Euro 2000 match against Romania on June 12 in Liege approaches.

Ribbeck, who had been under pressure to quit, witnessed clear improvement in a 4-0 demolition of Real Mallorca last week before a fine performance against the Czechs brought a smile back to his face.

Liechtenstein are unlikely to pose any serious threat and the game will offer Ribbeck one last opportunity to inspect his troops.

'I want all the outfield players to get another chance to show their worth,' he said.

A look at the starting line-up should give an indication of the team Ribbeck has in mind for the match against Romania.

The win over the Czech Republic, whom Germany beat 2-1 in the 1996 European championship final when Bierhoff also scored twice, revived sweet memories.

A comfortable victory on Wednesday would do the same.

The one and only time Germany played Liechtenstein was just before Euro 96.

They trounced them 9-1 and, confidence boosted, travelled to England in high spirits and won the title.

Probable teams

Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria)