Jurgen Klopp explains why Serge Gnabry left Germany squad early

Germany head coach Jurgen Klopp has clarified that the decision to send Serge Gnabry back to Bayern Munich was a calculated move to manage the player's workload following his return from a significant injury layoff.

The winger featured in all three of Germany's matches during the international window but was withdrawn at half-time during the recent victory over Serbia. Klopp noted that the 31-year-old began to experience physical strain, leading to a mutual agreement to prioritize his recovery.

Serge played in all of our games and featured as we had planned. After playing 45 minutes in our third game, he started to feel the strain. We then took him off at half-time because we didn’t want to rush things. Jurgen Klopp

Klopp emphasized that the move was not necessitated by a severe new injury, but rather as a practical step for long-term fitness. By returning to his club now, Gnabry will have a few days of rest before resuming full training with the Bavarian side.

Despite the early exit, the international break has been a step forward for the winger, who captained his country for the first time in the 2-0 win against Serbia. Gnabry remains realistic about his physical condition, acknowledging that he is still building match sharpness.

I'm not at 100 percent yet. This was now my fourth game. I played fewer minutes in the previous matches. But I have to get there through playing time. Every minute is important now. Serge Gnabry

For Vincent Kompany and Bayern, the news comes as a relief, with the club hoping to have a fully fit Gnabry available for their upcoming domestic challenges, starting with the clash against Augsburg.