Julian Nagelsmann thinks very highly of Leroy Sané. That’s why he definitely wants to have the fast Bayern striker at the European Championships. But the national coach has also made provisions with a newcomer.
Julian Nagelsmann is personally starting his preparations for the European Championships at home “with a very high energy level”. But at the end of a grueling season in the clubs and at the start of the training camp in Blankenhain, there are more or less big question marks over the fitness of some of the national football players in the provisional 27-man squad – especially for Leroy Sané.
The 28-year-old Bayern striker, who can cause any opponent great problems with his speed and dribbling, could only be used sporadically and with painkillers for weeks in Munich. The same goes for his club colleague Jamal Musiala (21).
Sané is suffering from painful pubic bone problems, while Musiala has tendon irritation in his knee. The duo gritted their teeth for the last time when FC Bayern was knocked out in the semi-finals of the Champions League by Real Madrid. After that, both were allowed to rest and recover for the European Championship.
“We can handle Jamal well”
Was there enough time? A first answer could come at the DFB team’s first training session on Monday afternoon in front of 15,000 spectators in Jena. Will Musiala and Sané be on the pitch? National coach Julian Nagelsmann is also excited. But of course he has insider knowledge. “I know the workload structure of the last few weeks. I know why they played when and why not,” Nagelsmann recently reported. “I think we can handle Jamal well,” he said optimistically to Musiala.
And Sané? Nagelsmann cannot say what his role will be in the tournament either. “Leroy has pubic bone symptoms that are just uncomfortable. We will see whether he can be fully involved in every training session. That is difficult to predict,” said the national coach. But a European Championship squad without Sané was not a solution for Nagelsmann either.
Sané and the “exceptional quality”
“The player has exceptional quality in the offensive position, which I did not want to do without,” explained Nagelsmann. Sané can be a so-called difference maker. Someone who can decide and win games with goals and assists.
Since Sané missed the successful March international matches against France (2-0) and the Netherlands (2-1) due to suspension and will also have to sit out the penultimate European Championship friendly against Ukraine on June 3 in Nuremberg, his role will probably be that of a joker for now.
Offensive quartet with Gündogan, Wirtz, Musiala, Havertz
Captain Ilkay Gündogan, Florian Wirtz, Musiala and Kai Havertz are initially the first choice in the offensive. “In the end, we hope that Leroy will be almost pain-free. The doctor and Leroy himself are in good spirits,” reported Nagelsmann: “But none of us are clairvoyant, something can always pop up during the tournament.”
And because the national coach is not a prophecy maker, he has included a 27th player in the provisional European Championship squad. Hoffenheim international newcomer Maximilian Beier (21) has been included – “quite deliberately”. “He is an interesting player in the offensive position in terms of perspective. And he is a player who, in terms of his profile, can also cushion one or two things, such as Leroy’s speed.”
Source: Stern
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