Serge Gnabry probably imagined his comeback with the German national team would go differently. In the 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, the Bayern pro came on as a substitute in the closing minutes—and found himself unwittingly at the center of the action just a few minutes later when the decisive goal was scored against them.
Jürgen Klopp brought Gnabry on in the 80th minute to replace Karim Adeyemi. The 31-year-old was supposed to provide some relief on the right wing and help preserve the narrow lead until the final whistle.
In stoppage time, however, Gnabry made a costly turnover. Instead of driving forward, the Munich player looked back and lost the ball to Ruben van Bommel. Klopp was already covering his face with his hands on the sideline.
Klopp explains Gnabry’s mistake
Van Bommel immediately capitalized on the turnover, picked up speed, and curled the ball with the outside of his foot to the far post. There, Cody Gakpo finished it off for a late 1-1 equalizer.
After the final whistle, Klopp refrained from publicly criticizing Gnabry harshly. However, the German national team coach explained very clearly on RTL what he would have expected from his forward in that situation. “It’s not a big deal—these things happen. But Serge has to run forward in that moment,” Klopp explained.
Lothar Matthäus also held the Bayern player responsible for the goal conceded. “That was a great attack, but Gnabry shouldn’t have lost the ball, and he needs to follow up faster,” analyzed the record-holding national team player.
“Of course, Serge knows that, too.”
Klopp then went into more detail about the play. For him, the problem lay primarily in Gnabry’s first move after receiving the ball.
Although Gnabry couldn’t get back in time after losing the ball, “he needs to drive forward with the ball on the first touch when there are still 20 or 30 seconds left to play. But of course, Serge knows that, too.”
It was particularly bitter: Germany had been leading thanks to Felix Nmecha since the 32nd minute and was on the verge of a successful debut for Klopp. The national team coach nevertheless took the late draw relatively in stride. He would have “very, very much liked to win,” but could “live with the point.”
For Gnabry, the brief appearance was the next step after a long break. The Bayern star had missed the World Cup due to injury and didn’t make his comeback for Munich until September 18 against Union Berlin. There, he got 13 minutes of playing time.
In Amsterdam, he now got more playing time—though with an ending that Gnabry had certainly imagined differently.