Julian Nagelsmann has little understanding for goalkeeper Leno’s rejection from the squad. He didn’t just want to come back as a reservist. The national coach reacts with clear words.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno was reprimanded in clear words by national coach Julian Nagelsmann for not returning to the national soccer team without a guarantee of playing. “Bernd made that decision. It doesn’t close the door, but it doesn’t open any further either,” said Nagelsmann in Zenica.
“If he plays outstandingly and everyone else doesn’t, the door can open again,” Nagelsmann noted. But the 37-year-old clearly added: “Bernd is no longer 25 years old, but he also has a certain maturity to evaluate things. And if he evaluates them like that, he is welcome to do it for himself.” Calling up to the national team is an honor for Nagelsmann.
After Marc-André ter Stegen was unavailable, Nagelsmann wanted to nominate 32-year-old Leno, who plays for FC Fulham in England, as number three. That wasn’t enough for the nine-time national player. Without a match commitment, he would rather train in London, said Leno, who had spoken to Nagelsmann and goalkeeping coach Andreas Kronenberg.
“I couldn’t meet the demands”
“Of course I live with his explanation,” Nagelsmann said in Zenica and explained: “It’s relatively simple. He made demands in the conversation that I couldn’t meet for internal reasons, which I discussed with the coaching team and also with the goalkeeping coach. That’s why I showed him a very interesting perspective, which is not in the short term, but in the medium term. But the player wasn’t so happy with that that he decided not to come now.”
Nübel and Baumann make their debut in goal
In the Nations League games against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday (8.45 p.m./RTL) in Zenica and next Monday in Munich against the Netherlands, Stuttgart’s Alexander Nübel (28) and then Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann (34) will be in the DFB -Team each debut.
Source: Stern
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