Ilkay Gündogan backs Sane and says frustration shows he cares | OneFootball

DFB captain Ilkay Gündogan has defended his much-criticised Galatasaray Istanbul team-mate Leroy Sané ahead of the World Cup.

"Leroy's season mirrored mine: it was turbulent, with its share of highs and lows. What matters most is that he not only started well but also finished strongly, repeatedly pulling himself out of tough spots. I know how hard he works; he absolutely deserves to be here," explained Gündogan. He told kicker.

Gündogan identified "Leroy's only problem": "He sometimes lets his frustration show a bit too obviously when things don't go 100 per cent right in a match." He added that this is "actually a positive thing". "In fact, it shows he cares and is mostly frustrated with himself."

Sané's call-up divided fans and pundits. The 30-year-old had a mixed year at Galatasaray Istanbul, with 16 goals in 43 games, and at one stage lost his starting place. His return in the comparatively weaker Süper Lig did not meet Julian Nagelsmann's expectations.

After a red card in the Istanbul derby on matchday 25, he managed only two goal contributions in seven outings, though he often played the full 90 minutes. In March he impressed off the bench against Ghana, setting up Deniz Undav's 2-1 winner.

Against the USA on Saturday he followed a below-par display by scoring the winner. With Lennart Karl ruled out, he is expected to start on the right against Curaçao, while Assan Ouedraogo, Karl's replacement, prefers the centre. If Nagelsmann wants a classic winger Jamie Leweling is an option, while Kai Havertz, a certain starter, could switch right to free a place for Deniz Undav or Nick Woltemade.

Source: Goal.com