Julian Draxler's unexpected exit from Al Ahli's league clash against Qatar SC has baffled fans online, with many debating why he left the field of play early.
The 30-year-old former Schalke and Wolfsburg midfielder, who has 58 caps for Germany, left Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain last month after falling out of favour at the Parc des Princes.
In a surprise move, Draxler decided to sign a two-year deal with Doha-based outfit Al Ahli.
And at the weekend, the German made a significant impact after he was introduced as a second-half substitute as they trailed 3-0 at home to Qatar SC.
Advert
Draxler bagged a brace in the 62nd and 66th minute but his efforts were in vain as the visitors put the game to bed through Raoul Danzabe Sanda, who made it 4-2 in stoppage time.
But rather than the result, it was Draxler's swift exit in the 95th minute that got people talking online.
As you can see from the footage below, he unexpectedly walked down the Hamad bin Khalifa stadium tunnel after completing a pass to his teammate.
No explanation has been provided for Draxler leaving early, although some have speculated that he could have walked off due to frustration, which seems unlikely given his contribution.
Others on Reddit suggest he was struggling with an injury and left the game as Al Ahli had already made five substitutions. An update from a live ticker appears to suggest that was correct.
In a recent post on his official LinkedIn page, Draxler opened up about his decision to leave Paris for the Middle East.
"First of all, I look back on a wonderful time in Paris: I came in 2017 as a young man and now leave as an adult family man who has seen the world and has learned an incredible amount on and off the pitch over the past six years," he wrote.
"For all the memories and experiences, I am extremely grateful to the club and all the people in Paris."
He continued: "But, especially in Germany, many are asking: Why Qatar now? Why not the Bundesliga, why not another European league? It was simply not possible to reach an agreement and, to be honest, I lacked the last conviction for a step within Europe.
"I also found the idea of jumping into the deep end far away from Europe at the age of 30 appealing and it was also important to me that I could play football properly again and be on the pitch regularly in competition mode. The alternative at PSG would have been a year without any prospects, which I wanted to avoid at all costs.
"And yes: Of course, the financial aspect also plays an important role for me."
Draxler added: "I could stand up now and say: After 12 years in Europe, I am only interested in getting to know a new culture, gaining a new international experience, participating in an exciting project in the Arab world - and leaving the issue of money out of the equation.
"Even if these aspects are honestly true, it would still be a lie if the financial part is not also decisive in this case."
Draxler went on to detail the questions that went through his head as he considered a move to Qatar.
SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated news channel to send you the latest news, features and plenty more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.
Topics: Julian Draxler, Germany, Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar
Jack Kenmare