Serge Gnabry’s first week with the German national team under Jürgen Klopp was a mixed bag. Nevertheless, the national team coach is sticking with the Bayern star. What’s behind this decision?
For most players on Jürgen Klopp’s first DFB squad, the training camp has already ended. The national team coach is rotating out a large portion of his roster ahead of the Nations League matches against Serbia and Greece.
Serge Gnabry, however, is one of the exceptions. The Bayern star will remain with the national team for a second week. Aside from him, only Finn Dahmen, Nico Schlotterbeck, Philipp Treu, Yannik Engelhardt, and Bambasé Conté were carried over from the first group.
This is quite remarkable, as Gnabry has yet to make a convincing return in the DFB jersey.
In the 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, the 31-year-old came on as a substitute in the closing stages and was involved in a costly turnover immediately before the equalizer. Klopp subsequently criticized his forward’s play in that sequence.
Gnabry was also initially left out of the starting lineup for the 0-1 loss to Greece. The Bayern Munich player didn’t enter the game until the 76th minute, replacing Karim Adeyemi. At least he still created some danger afterward with two shots on goal.
Klopp had a specific plan for Gnabry from the start
However, the fact that Gnabry is staying on is not a spontaneous reaction to the first two games. When he announced his expanded roster, Klopp had already stated that the Bayern star was scheduled to be part of the squad for both weeks.
“The three of them will be here for the full two weeks to help them get back into a rhythm after their injuries. They’ll be used based on their individual situations,” Klopp had explained at the time, referring to Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, and Nico Schlotterbeck.
Musiala has since had to leave the training camp due to injury. Gnabry, on the other hand, is getting more opportunities as planned—and his role could even grow in the second week.
Kimmich and numerous other experienced players from the first-team squad have left. At the same time, nine players in the new squad are still waiting to make their senior international debuts. Gnabry, on the other hand, brings plenty of international experience to the table. Klopp has not yet announced who will captain the team against Serbia; Gnabry is among the experienced candidates, alongside Florian Wirtz, David Raum, and Nico Schlotterbeck.
There’s also a new opportunity on the field. Germany’s offense failed to score against Greece, while Musiala is out with an injury. Gnabry now has the chance to show that, after his long injury layoff, he can be more than just an option for the closing stages of a match.
The fact that Klopp continues to rely on him despite the mistake against the Netherlands was part of his plan from the start. Now it’s up to Gnabry to repay that trust with strong performances.