Juventus’ Emre Can Sets Sights on Germany Captaincy Despite Recent Snub

Juventus midfielder Emre Can has revealed his ambitions of captaining the German national team, despite missing out on a call-up for March’s international fixtures.

The 25-year-old has impressed in Italy since leaving Liverpool following the expiration of his Anfield contract, but Joachim Low chose not to select Can for this month’s Euro 2020 qualifier against the Netherlands.

In an interview with ​Sport Bild, Can explained: ​“I do not want to comment on the missed call. It’s up to others to do it. The fact is, however, that my services abroad are evaluated differently than in Germany. My goal remains to be the national team’s leader and to be a team leader.”

​Can has 21 caps for his country but only featured once for Germany in the whole of 2018, missing out on Die Mannschaft’s shock group stage exit from the World Cup in Russia, and the versatile midfielder has expressed his disappointment at the lack of interest shown in him by the German coaching staff.

“I played the Champions League final, which is why I hoped [to be selected]. Previously, however, I had been unavailable for two months, so the decision must be accepted. However I was disappointed that none of the technical staff called me to ask how I was. Only the doctors of the DFB have inquired.”

115 – Emre Can had the best mins/goal ratio (1 goals every 115 minutes played) since the start of 2019 in Serie A among the midfielders with at least 100 mins played (4 goals in 459 minutes played). Growth. pic.twitter.com/ERpLps5F77

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) March 14, 2019

The former ​Liverpool man has made 28 appearances for ​Juventus this season, including the full 90 minutes of I Bianconeri’s impressive comeback against ​Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16, which Can also discussed in the interview.

“At the end of the game in the locker room there was pure emotion, as I had rarely experienced it. From the outside it is difficult to understand how much pressure we had after the first leg. Between the two matches, tension was felt for the city.”

Can expressed his and his club’s desire to go one step further than he could with Liverpool last season and win the Champions League trophy this season: “We wanted to send a signal to the world, we wanted to let everyone know we’re still there. We want to win the title.”

At the quarter final stage, Can and Juventus will face Dutch side Ajax, who miraculously eliminated holders ​Real Madrid with a 4-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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