Following Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury, Julian Nagelsmann wanted to name Bernd Leno in his latest Germany squad, but the Fulham goalkeeper respectfully rejected the national coach’s request.
Speaking to Bild, Leno said: “They told me I would be there, but that I wouldn’t get a game. That’s why I decided to train in London.” This comes after ter Stegen, who replaced Manuel Neuer as Germany’s number one, underwent successful surgical intervention on the patella tendon injury in his right knee last month.
“Julian knows that I’m always there when they need me and that I can really help the team,” added Leno. But: “At 32, I’m no longer a newcomer. I’ve never put demands on Manuel and Marc, I’ve always delivered and never made jokes.”
Instead, RB Salzburg’s Janis Blaswich has been called up to the national team, alongside Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim) and Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart) for Germany’s upcoming games against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Netherlands.
“After all my games in the Bundesliga, Premier League and internationally, Julian and Andreas know what they have in me,” said Leno, who dreams of a return to the national team setup: “It will always be a great honour for me to play for the national team and that remains the goal.”
Leno was in the Germany squad in March for their games against France and the Netherlands but failed to get a place in Nagelsmann’s Euro 2024 squad. The Fulham ‘keeper’s last cap was in September 2021.
