Emre Can defends decision to go for pizza with teammates before losing 5-0

Even some elements of the English press haven't resorted to this level.

For a long time, England's exit from a major tournament has been followed by anointing a scape-goat. This unfortunate person was usually a player who missed a penalty, or got sent-off, or a referee, but never a pizza. That's what appears to be happening in Germany right now, following the under-21s humiliating 5-0 loss to Portugal at the European Championships. The players are under-fire for their surprise exit, and German player Matthias Ginter has an idea as to the source of the defeat. "Every player must ask themselves if they were absolutely professional that day. Some players were not as professional as you should be before a semi-final." The day in question is this, last Thursday, two days before the 5-0 loss in the Czech Republic: It all seems innocent enough, as Can is joined by his teammates Moritz Leitner, Leonardo Bittencourt, Nico Schulz and Yunus Malli. But Ginter appears to think eating pizza so close to a big match was unprofessional, possibly because he wasn't invited. Liverpool midfielder Can was having none of it though, despite admitting he was personally complacent going into the game, after receiving widespread acclaim for previous performances. "Going out for a pizza like that is normal," Can said. "But perhaps I did think before the game that I was the best." "I have to get my feet back on the ground. I have received a lot of praise in the last two weeks. Nothing happened. We behaved in the way we should. I don’t know what Matze [Ginter] means." H/T The Guardian.