Joachim Low has made the shocking decision to axe Manchester City star Leroy Sane from Germany’s World Cup squad for the tournament in Russia.
The 58-year-old named his final 23-man squad on Monday and announced that Sane, along with Bernd Leno, Nils Peterson and Jonathan Tah, would not be playing in the World Cup.
Germany have been in South Tyrol on a pre-season training camp and surprisingly lost to Austria in a friendly, with Sane paying the price for his poor form for the national team.
Leverkusen star Julian Brandt, however, has taken to the role a little bit better and is more diligent defensively, and thus made the cut while they have several attacking options with players like Marco Reus and Julian Draxler.
Low explained: ‘That was a very close decision between him and Julian Brandt, which was made in favor of Brandt. Draxler, Reus and Muller are set.
‘Leroy is a huge talent. He will be back again from September. He had not arrived in international matches yet. It was a very close decision. If it was a 100 metre race, it would have been a photo finish.’
The German told a press conference that he had spoken to each of the four axed players individually in the day.
He continued: ‘There are certainly easier days in the life of a national team head coach than they day where I have to send four payers home.
‘These are four players who had merited their place in the provisional squad through their performances.
‘I spoke to the four players and the disappointment was huge, as you would expect.
‘It’s as if you are stood at the check in desk for your flight to Moscow, but are then prevented from boarding.’
Sane could still go to the World Cup if another attacker gets injured before their first game, with Low allowed to make a change up to 24 hours before kick-off against Mexico.
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