Germany's Toni Kroos has issued an apology to Spain's Pedri following an incident that resulted in the midfielder being sidelined for the remainder of Euro 2024 due to a knee injury. Pedri, 21, sustained a grade two sprain to his left knee during the quarterfinal match against Germany, following a challenge from Kroos within the first 10 minutes of the game.
Kroos expressed his regret on Instagram, stating, 'I want to apologise and ask for forgiveness, Pedri. I hope you make a quick recovery. It was not my intention to hurt you, and I wish you all the best. You are a great player.'
Despite the severity of Pedri's injury, he will continue to be with the Spanish squad as they prepare for the semifinal clash against France in Munich on Tuesday. Spain's head coach, Luis de la Fuente, deemed Kroos' challenge on Pedri worthy of a red card, although the German player escaped booking for the incident.
While the exact duration of Pedri's absence remains undisclosed by the Spanish team, sources suggest that he will not be available for the remainder of the tournament, with an estimated recovery period of around one month. This setback adds to a series of injuries that Pedri has encountered in recent seasons, primarily related to his hamstrings.
Despite his injury woes, Pedri had a strong finish to the domestic season with Barcelona and had featured in four out of Spain's five matches at the Euros, missing only the game against Albania after the team had secured qualification from the group stage.
In addition to Pedri's absence, Spain will also be without defenders Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand for the crucial semifinal against France. Carvajal received a red card in the match against Germany, while Le Normand will serve a suspension due to an accumulation of bookings. Both players would be eligible to return for a potential final if Spain advances past France on Tuesday.
