Goalkeeper Leno reacts to Nagelsmann's reprimand
The decision made by goalkeeper Bernd Leno to skip the last two matches for the German national football team has sparked quite a commotion, taking him by surprise. As the 32-year-old stated in an interview with Sky, "I must admit, quite a bit has been discussed and written about it, and I didn't expect that."
Leno, the primary goalkeeper for FC Fulham in the English Premier League, didn't challenge the public account of the situation. According to this version, national coach Julian Nagelsmann proposed a spot in the team without a guaranteed playing time for Leno. As a result, Leno opted out of the training camp, which included the international fixtures against Bosnia-Herzegovina (2:1) and the Netherlands (1:0).
"Most of what was in the media was correct," Leno confirmed, revealing no issues with the situation. "I spoke quite openly and honestly with him. There was no beating around the bush; everything is fine," he said.
The vacancy in the German Football Association's (DFB) goal emerged due to the severe injury of number one Marc-André ter Stegen (patellar tendon tear). Nagelsmann opted to give Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel a chance to showcase their skills, with Leno serving as the backup, only to sit on the bench.
Nagelsmann shared his intentions to present Leno with a medium-term "very interesting perspective" as the national coach, explaining before the Bosnia-Herzegovina match. Yet, with Leno's decision, the path to a DFB return is now "not open, but it's also not closed any further." Nagelsmann commented, "At the end of the day, everyone has to make their own decisions about how they want to shape things." Leno, who is no longer in his twenties, possesses the maturity to judge situations accordingly, and if he so chooses, he can exercise that right.
After announcing his absence from the last two matches for the German national football team, Leno discussed his decision with national coach Julian Nagelsmann, who saw potential for Leno in the future. Despite not playing in the international fixtures against Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Netherlands, Leno remains an option for the German national football team's goalkeeping position.
