REVEALED: Jadon Sancho was benched for Borussia Dortmund’s crunch Champions League game in Barcelona after turning up ‘considerably late’ to team meeting in teenager’s latest punishment for poor time-keeping
- Jadon Sancho started on the bench as Borussia Dortmund lost 3-1 to Barcelona
- England star came on to score stunning consolation goal at the Nou Camp
- It has emerged Sancho was dropped after arriving late for a team meeting
- Manager Lucien Favre said afterwards he needed ‘focused’ players for the game
- Sancho told reporters he ‘wasn’t allowed to speak’ following the defeat
Jadon Sancho was dropped from the Borussia Dortmund side for their crunch Champions League match against Barcelona because he was ‘considerably late’ for a team meeting.
The England star was benched for Wednesday night’s match at the Nou Camp but came on at half-time to score a spectacular consolation goal in Dortmund’s 3-1 defeat.
He was criticised by manager Lucien Favre, who said ‘we need players on the pitch who are focused and ready’ when asked to explain Sancho’s absence.
Jadon Sancho (centre) was dropped to the Borussia Dortmund bench for their crunch Champions League fixture in Barcelona after turning up ‘considerably late’ for a team meeting
It is the England star’s latest setback this season as Borussia Dortmund struggle for form
The 19-year-old also told reporters he ‘wasn’t allowed to speak’ following the defeat, which leaves Dortmund’s qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
German newspaper Bild report that Sancho was dropped for disciplinary reasons for turning up late to a team meeting in the hours before the game in Barcelona.
It is just the latest example of the teenager suffering the consequences for poor time-keeping in his young career.
Two seasons ago, then-Dortmund manager Peter Stoger demoted him to the Under 23 team after reporting late for training on several occasions.
And in March 2018, he was cut from the England Under 19 side by coach Paul Simpson for a European Championship qualifier against Latvia after arriving late for a training session.
It is the latest instance of poor time-keeping to affect 19-year-old Sancho’s Dortmund career
He was also dropped from the Dortmund team and fined £86,000 by Favre last month after reporting back to Dortmund late following international duty with England.
This latest incident follows Favre’s decision to substitute Sancho just 36 minutes in to Dortmund’s biggest match of the Bundesliga season away to Bayern Munich earlier this month.
Dortmund trailed 1-0 when Sancho was removed late in the first-half but went on to lose 4-0 and Favre made a point of saying Sancho wasn’t injured in his post-match remarks.
Once on the field, Sancho scored a stunning goal which proved to be a consolation
According to The Athletic, Sancho was left feeling ‘humiliated, scapegoated and unprotected by his employers’ afterwards.
His camp believe the youngster is being ‘unfairly used to shoulder much of the blame’ for Dortmund’s inconsistent start to the season.
Nonetheless, the excellent goal Sancho scored on Wednesday night served as a reminder that he remains one of European football’s hottest properties.
Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on him ahead of a potential £100million transfer next summer.