Leipzig coach Nagelsmann defends Werner for skipping Champions League

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has defended striker Timo Werner for not making himself available for the Champions League resumption ahead of a transfer to Premier League Chelsea. Photo: EPA/Filip Singer

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has defended striker Timo Werner for not making himself available for the Champions League resumption ahead of a transfer to Premier League Chelsea. Photo: EPA/Filip Singer

Published Jun 19, 2020

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LEIPZIG - RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has

defended striker Timo Werner for not making himself available for the

Champions League resumption ahead of a transfer to Premier League

Chelsea.

"I cannot imagine that he is being pilloried," Nagelsmann told a news

conference on Friday. "He is a great sportsman and I can understand

his decision."

Leipzig are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League which will

resume in August after the coronavirus suspension with the conclusion

of last 16 ties and a final eight tournament in Lisbon.

But Werner will not head to Portugal with Leipzig, rather to London

after the Bundesliga campaign finishes to prepare for next season.

"He's going to a different country with a different language," said

Nagelsmann. "It is clear that he doesn't want to play and avoid the

risk of injury."

Chelsea completed their move for the 24-year-old Germany

international Werner on Thursday having reportedly met his 60 million

euros (68 million dollars) release clause.

Leipzig could be further hampered in Lisbon in August as Yussuf

Poulsen is injured, Patrik Schick is only loaned until the end of

June and Jean-Kevin Augustin could stay at Leeds United, where is on

loan, should they gain promotion to the Premier League.

Strengthening the squad on the other hand is not possible though

Leipzig can make further players already at the club eligible to

play.

First Leipzig focus on securing a berth for the elite competition

next season and could go second in the table by beating Borussia

Dortmund at home in the penultimate Bundesliga round on Saturday.

Attacking midfielder Konrad Laimer will be unavailable with illness

on Saturday. Should Leipzig lose, results elsewhere could force them

into a last-day shoot-out to secure Champions League qualification.

dpa

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