Featured Image Credit: Getty & Twitter @Vertikalspiel13
Topics: Kai Havertz, Germany, Football, Euro 2024, Turkey, Arsenal, Fan Reactions
Joe Adams
Topics: Kai Havertz, Germany, Football, Euro 2024, Turkey, Arsenal, Fan Reactions
Kai Havertz confused fans with one 'baffling' moment during Germany's defeat to Turkey.
The 24-year-old has endured a difficult start to life at Arsenal since making the £65 million switch from Chelsea over the summer.
He has scored just one goal in 12 Premier League appearances so far this season, and was perhaps lucky to escape a red card against Newcastle.
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However, Havertz got on the scoresheet within five minutes for Germany, despite playing as an unorthodox left-back against Turkey.
Unfortunately for Julian Nagelsmann's side, the international friendly ended in a 3-2 defeat, with goals from Ferdi Kadioglu, Kenan Yildiz and Yusuf Sari cancelling out Havertz and Niclas Fullkrug's strikes.
Meanwhile, Havertz soon turned into the villain after he was adjudged to have handled the ball in the 18-yard-box area which led to Sari's winning penalty.
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However, the one moment that really stood out to supporters was when the Gunners midfielder appeared to try and shield the ball out of play, despite touching it last.
Replying to the video on social media, one fan wrote: "He forgot he touched the ball last & was shielding to win a throw-in".
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Another added: "I’m trying to understand".
While a third chimed in: "I was just staring at my screen like..????"
Another asked: "Is he ok?", before a fifth joked: "Havertz can’t be real".
Explaining his decision to deploy Havertz as a left-back before the geame, Germany boss Nagelsmann said:
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"Kai won't always be in this position. I have a great idea, he's an exceptionally good footballer.
"This is a very good option. He won't always play as a classic left-back."
After the defeat, the former Bayern Munich manager revealed that Havertz personally asked to play the position.
"Kai said he wanted to do it, wanted to try it [playing at Left-Back]," he said (quotes via The Metro).
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"I don’t see this as a risk for him, but as a very, very big opportunity to play a key role at the Euros. For a first time in an unfamiliar position, he did extremely well and probably was our best player."