<p>Just over six months before hosting Euro 2024, Germany continued their terrible form, losing 2-0 to Austria in Vienna on Tuesday. Leroy Sane was sent off for yelling at an opponent.</p>
<p>A bad night for Julian Nagelsmann’s team in the friendly was made worse by goals in each half from Marcel Sabitzer and Christoph Baumgartner, as well as Sane’s red card for making contact with Austrian defender Phillipp Mwene’s face.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-285551″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/theindiaprint.com-joe-bidens-81-candle-birthday-cake-sets-the-internet-ablaze-with-memes-8a99ff38701-750×422.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com joe bidens 81 candle birthday cake sets the internet ablaze with memes 8a99ff38701″ width=”1566″ height=”881″ title=”As Germany's troubles against Austria continue, Leroy Sane sees red 9″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/theindiaprint.com-joe-bidens-81-candle-birthday-cake-sets-the-internet-ablaze-with-memes-8a99ff38701-750×422.jpg 750w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/theindiaprint.com-joe-bidens-81-candle-birthday-cake-sets-the-internet-ablaze-with-memes-8a99ff38701-768×432.jpg 768w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/theindiaprint.com-joe-bidens-81-candle-birthday-cake-sets-the-internet-ablaze-with-memes-8a99ff38701-390×220.jpg 390w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/theindiaprint.com-joe-bidens-81-candle-birthday-cake-sets-the-internet-ablaze-with-memes-8a99ff38701-150×84.jpg 150w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/theindiaprint.com-joe-bidens-81-candle-birthday-cake-sets-the-internet-ablaze-with-memes-8a99ff38701.jpg 980w” sizes=”(max-width: 1566px) 100vw, 1566px” /></p>
<p>Sane received his first red card in his more than 400-game professional football career, forcing Germany to play catch-up for the most of the second half while having a man advantage.</p>
<p>“I believe that Leroy’s red card just about sums up everything—the disappointment, the frustration,” Germany captain Ilkay Gundogan said to TV station ZDF.</p>
<p>“In the end, we gave the Austrians far, far too much ease in creating and scoring goals.” We just weren’t good enough.</p>
<p>Later, on social media, Sane expressed his regret to supporters and his teammates, writing, “Despite my emotion and ambition, this can’t happen to me, especially in our current situation.”</p>
<p>According to Nagelsmann, his team could make a difference “only with extremely hard work.”</p>
<p>Michael Gregoritsch, an Austrian forward, called the triumph “very nice, very sweet.” It was a pleasant way to wrap out the season.</p>
<p>As a result of the visitors’ poor performance in their last 11 games of 2023, former coach Hansi Flick—the first manager fired in German history—was removed from his position.</p>
<p>Austria has continued their fantastic run under former Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick, winning seven and losing only one of their 10 games in 2023 to qualify for Euro 2024.</p>
<p>“I told them before the game to be courageous, play with pleasure, and enjoy the game— and they did all three,” Rangnick said, praising his soldiers.</p>
<p>– Gregoritsch enormous</p>
<p>With eight of Austria’s starting eleven competing in the German Bundesliga, the host team showed little mercy to its accomplished neighbors, leaving massive gaps in the opposition’s defense from the first whistle.</p>
<p>After 17 minutes, Freiburg striker Gregoritsch had a one-on-one opportunity to score with keeper Kevin Trapp, but the Frankfurt stopper was able to block the attempt with an extended hand.</p>
<p>Shortly after, Austria took the lead when Baumgartner placed Sabitzer in space after the towering 1.93-meter Gregoritsch grabbed a ball out of the air.</p>
<p>The German defense held off, giving the Dortmund midfielder time to curl a low shot into the bottom corner.</p>
<p>Since the beginning of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the once-frugal German defense has only managed one clean sheet in their last 14 games.</p>
<p>At halftime, Nagelsmann substituted veteran Thomas Mueller for forward Niclas Fuellkrug, but things quickly deteriorated after the break, with Sane being told to march out four minutes in.</p>
<p>Mwene was hauled down from behind by Sane, who just missed receiving a yellow card for a nasty foul late in the first half.</p>
<p>Sane got up and grabbed Mwene by the face, pushing him to the ground while the Austrian defender stood over him.</p>
<p>A member of the Germany team dragged a very furious Sane off the field as the referee instantly issued a red card.</p>
<p>Following the game, Nagelsmann said that Sane “knows he can’t do that, he’s already apologised.”</p>
<p>With half an hour remaining, Germany took a risk and made a number of substitutions. However, Austria took the lead when Gregoritsch made a deft pass to Baumgartner, who then chipped Trapp to complete the victory.</p>
<p>This is just Germany’s third defeat in 29 meetings with their neighbors since their 1954 World Cup semifinal matchup.</p>
As Germany’s troubles against Austria continue, Leroy Sane sees red
