The national squad is gearing up for their next event. - Nagelsmann Lands Sané Deal as European Championship Alternative: No Pain in Sight
Julian Nagelsmann may opt to begin the Euro championship match with Leroy Sané, who is now completely free of pain and ready to excel. "Leroy is pain-free and can fully participate," stated the German national team coach before today's first match for the German soccer team (21.00 Uhr/ZDF/Magenta TV) against Scotland in Munich.
During training, Nagelsmann initially only gave the Munich offensive player short appearances - the issues of the 28-year-old were too severe after a lengthy and agonizing pelvic inflammation.
Sané last took the field for Bayern during the second leg of the Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid at the start of May. Afterwards, he took some time off to rest. In the national team, he played in the second half of the test against Greece (2:1) last week and displayed an impressive performance.
Sané is adaptable on the field
Nagelsmann now has several options for offensive plays with Sané. The Bayern star can play on both wings or as a number ten. Against Scotland, a call-up to the starting lineup would be a big shock. The German coach plans to start with captain Ilkay Gündogan as the central pivot, while Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz are his preferred wingers.
"Jamal and Flo are two top-notch players. I'm not fully sure if both will play tomorrow, but I'm confident that they will both put on an excellent show," said the DFB coach the day before the game.
Overcoming Tournament Disappointment
For Sané, there is now apparently the prospect of a successful first major tournament with the national team. In 2016, he made a brief appearance in the EM as a young player, in 2018 he was cut from the squad before the World Cup in Russia, in 2021 at the EM he didn't manage to score in four games, and at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a knee injury caused him to be sidelined.
"I'm doing great. I'm following a plan that's gradually improving. Overall, it looks very promising," Sané remarked during the training camp. The plan seems to be working out.
