Cruciate ligament injuries have left two of Germany’s stars fighting against the clock to make the continental tournament
Germany coach Joachim Low is hopeful of recovering injured stars Leroy Sane and Niklas Sule ahead of Euro 2020, although he insists that he will not rush the pair back into international action.
Sane has been sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament rupture since August, after going down during Manchester City‘s Community Shield victory over Liverpool.
Bayern Munich defender Sule suffered a similar injury in October and is a serious doubt for the Euros, with no return to training currently in sight.
The prognosis for Sane is a little more optimistic, with a March comeback still possible; but Low will tread a cautious path with the City speedster.
“Regarding the Euros, I hope my national players will stay in form and clear of injuries,” he told Goal and Spox.
“Leroy Sane and Niklas Süle will get all the time they need following their severe knee injuries and we are happy, they’re progressing well.”
Having hit rock-bottom in 2018 when their World Cup defence ended in a humiliating first-round exit, Germany now have reason to be optimistic ahead of Euro 2020.
A new generation of stars breezed through qualifying, winning seven out of eight games to beat the Netherlands to top spot in Group C.
And while renewing the team that lifted the 2014 World Cup has been far from painless, Low believes that Germany have succeeded in their bid to bring through new blood that can compete at the Euros.
“Of course we aim to get as far as possible. Still it is to early to predict anything. But you can say already: To manage an overhaul like we did within only one year is a very positive thing for me,” he added.
“Other nations like France, England or the Netherlands were not able to to do that and it took them two or four years to build a successful team after a change of generations.
“We finished the Euro Qualifiers top of our group, even though there were big challenges. That’s why this young team gives me hope.
“We might not be the top favorites in the current constellation, but these tournaments always have their own dynamics, as you know.”
Low’s charges find themselves in what has been dubbed the ‘group of death’ in Euro 2020, with reigning continental champions Portugal and World Cup holders France also in Group F as well as a play-off winner to be determined at the end of March.
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