“I could never really show what I’m capable of”

Julian Draxler is experiencing a below-average season on loan to Benfica. The former national player missed almost the entire season injured. Now he is disappointed.

Julian Draxler had imagined this season very differently.

The former international joined Benfica on loan from Paris Saint-Germain before the season and wanted to push his ailing career back in Portugal. But nothing came of it. In fact, the opposite happened: Draxler played a real season to forget.

Overall, he only came to ten games in the Portuguese league in which he scored a goal. After a promising start, Draxler struggled with a muscle injury and the aftermath of an ankle operation, so he never really got going.

Draxler didn’t have a real share of Benfica’s championship season. That’s another reason why he addressed the fans with apologies after the season: “I apologize to the fans. My injuries prevented me from contributing more,” the 29-year-old explained on Portuguese TV BTV.

Draxler spoke again on the LinkedIn social media platform and made it clear that he had imagined the adventure at Benfica very differently and had come to Portugal with big plans.

“In Portugal we attack again completely, we show ourselves for the World Cup and then we’ll see what’s next. The plan was clear before my loan to Lisbon, the motivation was high,” Draxler wrote about his plans.

He was received excellently and everything would have worked out well in Lisbon at first, but then his injuries came and thwarted his plans: “I was never really able to show what I’m capable of. I just couldn’t get on my feet, I was in pain and ultimately had to have an operation.”

That’s why he couldn’t have made the desired contribution to the championship. The season in Portugal is a big disappointment for him, which he has to nibble on. “I have to say: It’s really on your mind,” wrote the former national player thoughtfully.

Despite his injuries and the lack of individual successes, Draxler still looked back positively on the time.

“But the special thing about the time in Lisbon is that the club was there for me even in these months, which were not ideal for me,” explained Draxler: “Benfica is family, as a player you feel safe and well treated. The atmosphere is extraordinary. I therefore say to the club and all the people there: Thank you for everything, thank you for the support during a difficult time for me!”

Despite his own failure, Draxler said goodbye to Lisbon in a very forgiving way. After his loan, it’s now back to Paris where he has another year under contract and will try to attack again.