Leroy Sane motivated since World Cup snub with Germany

Germany international Leroy Sane has indicated that the World Cup snub during the summer has provided him with the added motivation to perform better for club and country this term. The former Schalke graduate enjoyed a stunning season on the personal scale during the 2017/18 campaign but he was still a shock exclusion from Joachim Loew’s side for the global tournament in Russia.

Without him, Germany succumbed to a group stage exit at the World Cup for the first time in over 80 years and the country have since been in a transitional phase with another disappointing campaign in the Nations League. Speaking to BT Sport, Sane stressed that he did not feel hard done by after being omitted and the same has provided him with the motivation to become a better player.

He said: “Obviously, it was hard for me but I think at the end I was just like, ‘OK, you have to keep on going'. I think if you start thinking about it and being mad and trying to find excuses and talk about it, I think it doesn’t help you at all. You will just think back: 'what happened?' And you’re not focused on what happens the next season. You have to play better to improve, maybe for the next World Cup or to be involved in some other tournaments.”

“Sane had begun the ongoing campaign with Manchester City on the bench with Pep Guardiola presenting concerns about the German’s intensity in training“. However, he has since managed to win over his position with consistent performances and this has coincided with his return to the national team, “where he has commanded“ a regular starting role post the country’s dismal World Cup.

Sane recently experienced a disappointing trip to Newcastle United where the Citizens suffered a rather shock 2-1 defeat. The German can, however, make amends when Arsenal make the trip to the Etihad this weekend.