'You lost to Slovakia!' - Julian Nagelsmann's Leroy Sane comments draw angry response from Galatasaray boss despite Turkish side's Champions League humiliation against Eintracht Frankfurt

Nagelsmann stirred controversy when assessing Sane's decision to leave the Bundesliga champions in order to start his Super Lig adventure, with the Germany coach suggesting the winger's international career is over due to the level he is playing at. 

"He’s now playing in a league that’s a bit worse than the Bundesliga and other top European leagues,” Nagelsmann told reporters. He acknowledged Sane’s assist and goal in recent games but added, “He simply has to deliver more… I’m expecting certain numbers from him.”

Gala coach Buruk was quick to defend his star winger as he addressed the issue following his side's emphatic defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt. After lamenting the 5-1 loss, Buruk directly addressed Nagelsmann’s remarks in the post-match press conference. 

“I disagree with Julian Nagelsmann's comments about Leroy Sane," he said. "Germany also lost in their first international match. You lost to Slovakia in a place where you thought you were very good. We've had very good matches against Tottenham and Bayern Munich. I don't remember Frankfurt giving the ball away 65% of the time."

Sane reminded critics of his quality early in the match, winning the ball deep in his half before setting up captian Yunus Akgun’s opener. That made him the first player in Champions League history to both score and assist on his debut for four different clubs. Yet despite his impact, Frankfurt’s clinical spell before half-time turned the game on its head.

In front of a raucous home crowd, Frankfurt netted three goals in a 12-minute burst before half-time. A Davinson Sanchez own goal sparked the comeback before young prodigy Can Uzun scored a spectacular turn-and-shot. A second own goal by Wilfried Singo compounded Gala’s misery, with Jonathan Burkardt and Ansgar Knauff sealing a powerful 5-1 victory, in the first match of the Champions League.

Nagelsmann’s comments underline the pressure on Sane to produce consistently as he battles for a place in Germany’s World Cup plans. For Gala the defeat leaves them facing Premier League powerhouse Liverpool next in Europe. Frankfurt, meanwhile, top their Champions League group and now prepare for Atletico Madrid away on September 30.