Nagelsmann explains Sané and Brandt's return to Germany squad
| Photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images |
Leroy Sané is back in the Germany squad for the first time since the European Championship, with the Bayern Munich winger called up as a replacement for the injured Deniz Undav.
Sané has been working his way back from pubic bone surgery and has recently seen his playing time increase for Bayern.
But as Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann explained on Monday, it wasn't his plan to call up the 28-year-old now.
"I've had a good dialogue with him, even during the periods when he wasn't here. It wasn't really planned for him to come in," said Nagelsmann at a press conference on Monday.
“The idea was for him to get into a bit more of a rhythm because he had only played a couple of games from the start and had been a substitute most of the time. But he did very well. He turned the game around against Benfica.”
Another player returning to the national team is Borussia Dortmund's Julian Brandt, who last played for Germany in November last year.
Commenting on his decision to recall the 28-year-old, Nagelsmann said:
“I've always stressed that doors are never closed. If the full European Championship squad were available now, he might not have been included. But he's one of those players who steps in when players are unavailable. I think he's the most stable player in a team that's not in flow, along with Felix Nmecha. He's earned it. It's now up to him to make a lasting impression.”