Liverpool midfielder Emre Can has apologised for Germany’s shock defeat in the European Under-21 Championship semi-final. The tournament favourites were beaten 5-0 by Portugal on Saturday and Can has labelled his team’s performance as ‘shameful’ in an extremely honest interview.
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A clearly distraught Can, who was quoted by BT Sport, had been enjoying an excellent tournament up until that point. However, he was powerless to prevent his side being taken a part by the impressive Portuguese, who now face Sweden in the final.
“It’s a dark day for all of Germany,” he admitted. “I talked a lot this tournament, big talk even. I wanted to win the title. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I didn’t show my best out there. If I am honest, it is just shameful.
“From the first minute onward we failed to find our rhythm. Our mentality also wasn’t there – we just had everything missing tonight, but excuses and apologies are no help now.”
Can, who joined Liverpool last summer from Bayer Leverkusen, enjoyed a very positive first season in England and was tipped to be one of the players who would shine brightest at this summer’s junior tournament.
He impressed in the group stage as his side breezed through to the last four, but even the brilliance of our new Anfield favourite was not enough to prevent the Germans falling to an uncharacteristically heavy defeat – the biggest in the Under-21 side’s history.
Let’s hope he can quickly put the result behind him and refocus on a new season with Liverpool.