Euro 2024 Tournament - Unfortunate Pavlovic Feels Sad as Can Possibly Obtain a Chance at the European Championship
Aleksandar Pavlovic continues to experience misfortune with the national team. After being excluded from the Euros just two days before the opening match, he issued a statement predicting a brighter future. "I'm incredibly sad that my dream of hosting the Euros has dissolved! I wish the guys the utmost success! And I'll bounce back even stronger!" wrote the 20-year-old on Instagram, using a dark background similar to a condolence message.
National coach Julian Nagelsmann must manage without Pavlovic, who is experiencing another infection. The 20-year-old midfielder was absent from the team's quarters in Franconia. Nagelsmann chose Dortmund's Emre Can as Pavlovic's replacement instead of - and not the previously disqualified Leon Goretzka from FC Bayern Munich.
Nagelsmann explains the decision
"It's painful to make such a decision. It always hurts. He's a terrific footballer, a great person, but at his age, I must assume responsibility for the player," said Nagelsmann in a video for the DFB about Pavlovic. "If he shows up and gets overloaded, the chance is high that he'll get another infection in the glands and be excluded again."
Pavlovic did not join the other 25 national players who returned to the German Euro quarters in Herzogenaurach on Monday. The photo shoot of the DFB squad was initially postponed. Then the tournament withdrawal news arrived. The other 22 field players and three goalkeepers trained in the morning as usual. Nagelsmann can still nominate replacements for unwell or injured players until the Euro kick-off against Scotland on Friday at 9 p.m.
Can's comeback to the national team
"We needed an extra six-man on the team, and we chose to nominate Emre Can," said Nagelsmann. Can participated in his final 43 international matches at Dortmund against France under interim coach Rudi Völler a year ago. Nagelsmann took over as national coach shortly after and ruled out the strong BVB captain.
Now Can's time in the national team has returned. "We aimed for a player who has participated in many games and knows how to manage pressure. He can fulfill the role we need," said the national coach. Unusual: No Nagelsmann statement was included in the DFB's announcement about Pavlovic. The national coach might already be in tournament prep mode.
In the DFB team's strict hierarchy, Can now assumes a backup role. Set on the six-man position are Toni Kroos and Robert Andrich. The first substitute is Pascal Groß. Goretzka was not considered again, continuing the tough player selection policy of Nagelsmann. The Munich player had recently posted a vacation photo from Norway, and his exclusion had a significant impact on him.
Sympathy from Musiala
Now Pavlovic is the next Bayern Euro casualty. "I feel really bad for Pavlo. He'll keep a positive attitude," says his Bayern teammate Jamal Musiala. "We'll chat with him in the coming days." Pavlovic's role in Nagelsmann's plans for the opening match against Scotland was not crucial.
The young Bayern player's misfortunes with the DFB team have persisted. A potential debut in March had to be canceled due to a mandibular inflammation for the matches against France (2-0) and the Netherlands (2-1). In Herzogenaurach, he had previously said he was considering an operation due to the recurring problems this summer.
Low Profile at the initial training camp in May, Pavlovic joined the team training with a couple of days' delay. He made his national team debut as a sub in the 0-0 game against Ukraine in Nuremberg on the previous week. Pavlovic decided to represent Germany after his impressive first season with Bayern. He could also don the Serbian national team jersey in international matches.
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- Emre Can, who formerly played for Borussia Dortmund, might have a chance to represent Germany in the European Football Championship, given Julian Nagelsmann's decision to exclude Aleksandar Pavlović due to health concerns.
- The German National coach, Julian Nagelsmann, expressed his sympathy for Pavlović while announcing Can's inclusion, acknowledging the young midfielder's talent and potential.
- Can, who last represented the national team under interim coach Rudi Völler, has the opportunity to once again showcase his skills in the tournament, scheduled to take place in Munich and other cities across Bavaria.
- The news of Pavlović's exclusion was met with disappointment among fans and his teammates, particularly Leon Goretzka from FC Bayern Munich, who had expressed his support for the young player on Instagram.
- Goretzka, who had recently posted a vacation photo from Norway, was also excluded from the team, indicating Nagelsmann's strict player selection policy for the European Championship.
- The DFB team's strict hierarchy has seen Can assume a backup role in the six-man position, with Toni Kroos and Robert Andrich as the first-choice players and Pascal Groß serving as the first substitute.
- Despite the setbacks, Pavlović remains optimistic about his future in the game, having recently joined Bayern Munich and looking forward to representing either Germany or Serbia in international competitions.
- Pavlović's teammate at Bayern, Jamal Musiala, offered his support and expressed his sympathies, stating that he would chat with Pavlović in the coming days.
- The news of Pavlović's exclusion comes as a blow to Bayern, which has had several Euro casualties this season, including Joshua Kimmich, who was also ruled out of the European Championship due to injury.
- As the European Championships approach, the focus is on rebuilding and preparing for the future, with many young players in the DFB team looking to make their mark in the tournament, including Canada and Musiala from Bayern Munich.
