First Julian Draxler scored two goals after coming on as a substitute, then the former national player caused speculation with an unusual departure from the field. During the 2-4 defeat of his new club Al-Ahli SC against Qatar SC, Draxler suddenly stalked into the dressing room after a pass back to a teammate – without being substituted. There was speculation that the midfielder had a frustrated reaction or gastrointestinal problems. But the muscles are said to have been the reason.
“I noticed my muscle. And the coach could no longer make substitutions. That’s why I went down to prevent a major injury. That’s all,” said the 30-year-old on “Sky”. In view of the reports and speculation, the club apparently felt compelled to publish a statement solely related to this situation. The 2014 world champion only left the field due to an injury and for “no other reason” and was one of the best players in terms of “discipline, commitment and respect for the club,” it said. He was not in the starting line-up due to a muscle injury.
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After his “extraordinarily good performance,” Draxler informed the coach and team doctor in the 87th minute that he would not be able to finish the game. They said they allowed him to leave the field. Since the quota of three permitted substitutions was exhausted, Al-Ahli SC had to finish the game with only ten players. A few minutes after his departure, Draxler returned.
Draxler moved from Paris Saint-Germain to Qatari Al-Ahli SC in Doha for 9 million euros in September. In terms of sport, he no longer played a role for the French champions. Draxler had already been loaned out last season, but did not find his way back to his old strength at Benfica Lisbon under coach Roger Schmidt. The former Bundesliga professional had openly admitted that the significantly higher earning potential was also a decisive factor in his move to the host country of the 2022 World Cup, which was controversial due to human rights violations.
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23 Miroslav Klose | Club at that time & market value: Lazio – €1 million
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