Naby Keita’s time at Werder Bremen took an unexpected turn on Sunday during the 29th matchday of the Bundesliga against Leverkusen (a 5-0 defeat), when the Guinean player decided not to board the bus for the match and return home. The Guinean international has now been sanctioned.
Challenged by his club’s leadership, the former Liverpool player attempted to defend himself. “Since the first day of my signing with this magnificent club, I have always shown dedication and professionalism. My sole desire has always been to help the club and bring happiness to the numerous supporters, especially in this period where the results are not as we wish. Throughout my career, wherever I have been, I have never had discipline issues and have always tried to set an example. Therefore, I will not accept anyone tarnishing this image,” protested the Syli National midfielder (54 caps, 12 goals) via an Instagram story, implicitly denouncing false accusations against him.
However, this evidently did not convince the German club’s leadership:
According to Guinean media outlet Foot224, the sanction is indeed severe: the 29-year-old player is suspended until the end of the season, will train separately from the professional group, and will face a “considerable” fine. His outburst of anger will thus not be without consequences, marking the culmination of a nightmare season for the 2019 Champions League winner.
A Season of Frustration!
Plagued by recurring physical problems – five in total, including a torn adductor and muscle discomfort during the first half of the season – the Conakry native has only managed to play five small Bundesliga matches this season. Under these circumstances, it is difficult to establish oneself in the German club, which signed him last summer when he was a free agent and coming off a challenging season in the Premier League (only 8 matches).
Having already played in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig (2016-2018), where he was a runner-up in Germany in 2017 and a member of the Bundesliga Team of the Season for 2016-2017, the midfielder has not succeeded in his comeback. According to information from our colleagues at Foot224, the former Liverpool player will renegotiate with Werder Bremen at the end of the season. However, despite a contract running until 2026, a departure seems increasingly likely.
