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Germany: Bundesliga
FT
4 - 3
(2 - 1)
Frankfurt
Wolfsburg
D. Kamada (8), L. Jović (27), A. Silva (54), E. Durm (61), L. Melo (85)
R. Baku (6), W. Weghorst (46)

Glasner explains Lacroix's early substitution: "There was no reproach at all"

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

One of the Bundesliga's most promising young center backs turned in a fairly poor performance on Saturday.

During the Sunday morning presser, Wolfsburg trainer Oliver Glasner made clear that Maxence Lacroix's 66th minute substitution was nevertheless not directly related to this.
Maxence Lacroix.
Maxence Lacroix.
Those whom have had the privilege of watching Maxence Lacroix play week-in and week-out this season mostly agree that one of football's brightest young prodigies plays for Germany's green company team. Twenty-one-year-old French defender Maxence Lacroix truly is the real deal when it comes to his work as a center-halve; a player wise beyond his years in terms of the finer arts of the position.


Lacroix nevertheless had something of a nightmare match, along with most of his Wolfsburg colleagues, on Saturday against Frankfurt. A Wolfsburg team known for its impeccable defensive prowess (an eight-game consecutive clean-sheet streak early in 2021, for instance) conceded four goals in a crucial fixture that profoundly affects their place in the table.

Lacroix could be considered directly at fault for the SGE's second and fourth goals. After the youngster allowed his markers slip away in both cases. Glasner replaced him with Marin Pongracic on a like-for-like in the 66th.

Speaking to members of the assembled press during the Sunday morning rounds, VfL trainer Oliver Glasner revealed that the substitution wasn't a direct disciplinary action relating to this. Glasner noted that Lacroix had actually tweaked his back in Friday training.

The 46-year-old head-coach opted to let his young star play anyway. After observing that Lacroix wasn't at his most supple, his gaffer pulled the plug relatively early. Glasner emphasized how much he still believed in his young prodigy.

"There was no reproach at all," the trainer stressed, "He's playing an outstanding season. He'll also deliver a great performance [against Bayern] next week."


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