World Cup 2018: Sami Khedira issues defiant response to Swedish journalist’s prank ahead of Germany’s second group game
The midfielder was presented with two plane tickets home ahead of the Group F clash on Saturday evening
Sami Khedira vowed to get revenge on a cheeky stunt from a Swedish journalist as Germany prepare for their make-or-break World Cup game against the Scandinavian side on Saturday - a game you listen to live on talkSPORT from 7pm.
The reigning champions have had a less than ideal start to their 2018 campaign, having lost their first match to Mexico before leaving relocating from their Moscow base for a more secluded spot in Sochi.
The German press have not held back in their criticism of the team after the defeat at the Luzhniki Stadium including Lothar Matthaus who accused Mesut Ozil of having no passion earlier this week.
However, a Swedish TV reporter certainly touched a nerve with Khedira as he handed two airline tickets home into the hands of the midfielder.
An irate Khedira said in response to the prank: “We don’t need those tickets - and we won’t need them on Saturday.
“We don’t want to go back home. We are thinking to win this game. After the bad start we had, we know that it’s super difficult.
“But we know that we are a strong team. We analysed the game, we saw Sweden play and we are sure that we are winning this game.
“I still think we won’t need any tickets back home until July 16.”
Manager Joachim Low may make a few changes from the Mexico defeat which could see Khedira drop to the bench but the Juventus man remained defiant on Germany’s chances.
Khedira added: “It's not about two players out and two players in. If we play with the same attitude as we did against Mexico, nothing will change.
“I know I did not have a good game and I can live with the criticism, as we all can.
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“We know we all have to improve all because if we play like we did against Mexico we will be going home.
“So in the next games, starting against Sweden, we will have to play smarter.
“We must attack but not too much - in a more intelligent way.
“Against Mexico the problem was the lack of balance between attack and defense, not us being slow.
“When you allow open-field counters like we did, you would need to be Usain Bolt to make up the distances in time to stop the other team - and he is not in our squad!”
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