We investigate the ultrafast photoinjection process initiated by a few-femtosecond optical pulse in monocrystalline undoped germanium with attosecond transient reflectivity spectroscopy. By comparison with theoretical calculations, we decouple several distinct but concurring physical phenomena that are found to exhibit different timing within the pump envelope. As a result of their complex interplay, we found that intra-band motion hinders charge injection, in contrast with what has previously been observed in other semiconductors.