Borrusia Dortmund Coach Lucien Favre has insisted that he need focused players after benching Jadon Sancho for the UCL match against Barcelona last night. Sancho was named among the substitutes but still came on to score as Dortmund lost 3-1 at the Camp Nou.
Favre dropped Sancho – who was also hauled off in the first half of a 4-0 Klassiker rout at the hands of Bayern Munich earlier this month.
Speaking to Sky Sports about his selection pre-game, he said: "We need players on the pitch who are focused and ready".
The 19-year-old's axing prompted fresh questions over his future amid growing links to Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
After goals from Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann put the Group F contest beyond reach, Sancho provided a reminder of his immense quality with a fierce 77th-minute strike.
Asked again why Sancho was benched post-match, head coach Favre told reporters:
"I explained it before starting the game.
"I needed very focused players to press and that's why I named that XI."
Dortmund team-mate Mats Hummels was also quizzed on England international Sancho and he said: "I don't want to talk about it. He played really well in the second half, was really involved and scored a great goal."
The result leaves Dortmund third and level on seven points with second-placed Inter heading into the final match day.
Barcelona have clinched the group and siton 11 points.
Dortmund face Slavia Prague on December 10, while Inter welcome Group F winners Barca to Milan on the same day.
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