The nicest part for him now is that the feeling of helplessness has been cast aside. His difficult period came to an end against Freiburg, when he came on for Max Meyer in the 79th minute. He was back at last! Although the team were disappointed with the goalless draw, Draxler could still take some pleasure from the match on the 11th April. "For me personally, it was a good day," he said. "It’s a fantastic feeling to finally be back involved. There’s no pain anymore and I’ve trained well. For me personally, the game was successful."
Lacking match fitness
It’s clear to see that he’s not yet back at 100 percent, certainly not 111 percent, so now it’s about him moving forward and taking the second step in his return. "First of all, I was happy to be on the pitch at all,” commented Draxler. “Obviously, all that glitters is not gold. I tried to help the team and focused on my job on the left wing. I'm happy with that for now."
He’s looking forward, his injury is history and his focus is on the future. The upcoming game sees Schalke face Wolfsburg and it’s worth recollecting on the past here because Julian Draxler has fond memories of playing against VfL. It’s the 2nd March 2013, matchday 24 in the Bundesliga, and Wolfsburg are up against Schalke. Julian Draxler was instrumental in the game, hitting the back of the net in the 30th minute, grabbing a second in the 63rd minute and providing an assist in the 79th minute. "That was perhaps my best game for Schalke 04 to date,” analysed Draxler, following the 4-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg.
DFB.de regularly previews a national team player ahead of an important weekend for their club side. This week we have chosen World Champion Julian Draxler, who is hoping to return to the FC Schalke 04 starting line-up against VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday (17:30 CEST).
Schalke 04 and the number 111 are inextricably linked in 2015 because the club are set to celebrate their 111th anniversary. This figure is also significant for Julian Draxler, not just because he’s a Schalke player.
111 started and almost ended Draxler’s career. In his first ever match, his team Gladbeck were thrashed 11-1 by Zweckel. Fortunately for German football, his father managed to convince him to keep playing.
Draxler on the brink of his 111th Bundesliga appearance
Draxler could reach a significant milestone this coming Sunday. He celebrated his comeback last weekend in the dismal 0-0 draw with SC Freiburg and this was his 110th Bundesliga appearance. His tally could rise to 111 this weekend should he feature against Wolfsburg. During a difficult period for Schalke, Draxler’s return offers a ray of light. The team haven’t won in four games, have failed to score in three consecutive games and are ten points adrift of a Champions League qualifying place. With only six games left to play, this gap seems insurmountable.
Schalke’s aim now is securing a Europa League qualifying spot. Manager Roberto Di Matteo has real hope for the impact of Draxler’s return. "During his time out, it’s been clear to see just how important Julian is for the team," acknowledged Di Mateo. It was a lengthy period, more than 111 days, on the sidelines for the 21-year-old. Draxler suffered a partial tear of his semimembranosus muscle in his right hamstring after only 11 seconds played in the match against Augsburg on the 31st October 2014.
"The match against Freiburg was a personal success"
During his long spell on the sidelines, the worst part was missing out on playing 90 minutes at the weekend. "It’s really tricky when you’re sat in front of the TV or in the stands at the stadium and know that you can’t do anything to help," he said. "Although I’ve been back with the team for a bit, I haven't been able to play an active part in contributing to results."
The nicest part for him now is that the feeling of helplessness has been cast aside. His difficult period came to an end against Freiburg, when he came on for Max Meyer in the 79th minute. He was back at last! Although the team were disappointed with the goalless draw, Draxler could still take some pleasure from the match on the 11th April. "For me personally, it was a good day," he said. "It’s a fantastic feeling to finally be back involved. There’s no pain anymore and I’ve trained well. For me personally, the game was successful."
Lacking match fitness
It’s clear to see that he’s not yet back at 100 percent, certainly not 111 percent, so now it’s about him moving forward and taking the second step in his return. "First of all, I was happy to be on the pitch at all,” commented Draxler. “Obviously, all that glitters is not gold. I tried to help the team and focused on my job on the left wing. I'm happy with that for now."
He’s looking forward, his injury is history and his focus is on the future. The upcoming game sees Schalke face Wolfsburg and it’s worth recollecting on the past here because Julian Draxler has fond memories of playing against VfL. It’s the 2nd March 2013, matchday 24 in the Bundesliga, and Wolfsburg are up against Schalke. Julian Draxler was instrumental in the game, hitting the back of the net in the 30th minute, grabbing a second in the 63rd minute and providing an assist in the 79th minute. "That was perhaps my best game for Schalke 04 to date,” analysed Draxler, following the 4-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg.
