When it was announced that German national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann called up RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouédraogo to replace injured Bayern Munich star Lennart Karl, many fans and pundits were left to scratch their heads.
X account @iMiaSanMia broke down Nagelsmann’s rationale for adding RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouédraogo rather than a positional match for Karl like Said El Mala or Karim Adeyemi or even a more experienced and versatile midfielder like Tom Bischof:
On why he called up
Ouédraogo over El Mala, Nagelsmann said the latter didn’t train since the end of the season 2.5 weeks ago, his last game was on 16 May. On the other hand, Ouédraogo did a tour in South Africa with Leipzig after the end of the season and played until 29 May. He’s fully fit and in rhythm.
For his part, Ouédraogo was ecstatic to get the nod.
“I got the call from the national team coach on Friday evening while on holiday. When Julian Nagelsmann told me I was now part of the squad, I needed a moment to take it in and realize what had happened before going and packing my things straight away. It is a huge honor and makes me very proud to represent Germany at the World Cup,” Ouédraogo told RB Leipzig’s social media team. “A childhood dream of mine has come true — one I have worked hard for, especially over the past few months and years. I’m looking forward to my role in the team and want to help the lads as much as I can, both on and off the pitch.
“At the same time, I would like to wish Lenny a speedy and full recovery. I feel very sorry for him that he got injured so close to the tournament and can’t be involved. Alongside the joy I feel, I also sympathize with his situation greatly. I wish him all the best from the bottom of my heart and hope he is back out on the pitch soon.”
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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