From dream to nightmare transfer
Werder Bremen suspends squad refuser Keita
April 16, 2024, 1:23 p.m
Naby Keita will no longer play for Werder Bremen this season. The Bundesliga club suspended the 28-year-old and imposed a fine. The midfielder refused to be part of the squad for the away game in Leverkusen.
Werder Bremen will forego the services of Naby Keita in the final stretch of the Bundesliga. The club has suspended the 28-year-old. He also has to pay a fine. According to the club, Keita will neither train with the team nor be allowed to stay in the professional dressing room. This is Werder’s reaction to the former Liverpool player’s behavior before the away game at Bayer Leverkusen.
The midfielder refused to be part of the squad for the away game in Leverkusen on Sunday after learning that he was not in the starting line-up despite numerous absences. Keita then didn’t travel to Leverkusen and went home.
“Naby’s behavior cannot be tolerated for us as a club. With this action, he has let his team down in a tense sporting and personnel situation and has placed himself above the team. We cannot allow that. We need the “We have to focus fully on the remaining games this season and on a team that is very close together. Therefore, there was no alternative to our measures,” explained the head of professional football, Clemens Fritz, according to the statement.
“I don’t have to say much more”
A suspension was foreseeable based on the reactions of club officials. Keita was already released on Monday. “The action says it all, I don’t have to say much more,” said Werder coach Ole Werner, visibly angry after the encounter. “Everyone can form their own opinion, I formed mine. Of course it has nothing to do with team sports.”
Teammate Marvin Ducksch also spoke about Keita’s behavior. “I’ve never experienced a situation like this, I’ll be honest. His clothes were still on the pitch. At some point in the shower, people came in and said that he ran away with private clothes,” he said in the podcast “Kicker meets DAZN “.
Keita moved from Liverpool to Werder as a royal transfer last summer and sparked great euphoria on the Weser. Due to numerous injuries, the Guinea international was unable to live up to expectations and only made five appearances in the Bundesliga.
Keita commented on the events via Instagram on Sunday. “Since the beginning of my career, I have never had problems with discipline wherever I have been and have always tried to be a role model. I will therefore not accept that anyone tarnishes this image,” Keita wrote. He always worked “selflessly and professionally”. The strike now casts doubt on Keita’s self-assessment.