“I felt incredible returning to the field after a two-month break. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. I had to leave the game due to an injury, and that was, of course, very painful,” Azerbaijani national team player Mahir Emreli wrote in a post on his personal Instagram account, Idman.biz reports.
The 28-year-old forward participated in the 12th round match of Germany’s 2. Bundesliga for his club Kaiserslautern against Hertha (0:1). Although Emreli had not played in the last nine rounds, he entered the game in the 63rd minute but had to be substituted in the 77th minute due to injury, unable to hold back his tears while leaving the pitch.
He added in his post:
“The past few weeks have not been easy for me. First, limited playing time, then illness, and a week ago I tragically lost my older cousin. This match was supposed to be my farewell moment with him. Unfortunately, things turned out differently. Perhaps that’s why I couldn’t hold back my tears — it felt like everything was building up inside me.
After medical examination, I will know exactly how long I’ll be out. Despite everything, I remain optimistic and hope to be back on the field soon. I will not lose my confidence or motivation.”
It should be noted that due to this injury, Mahir Emreli was not called up for Azerbaijan’s World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Iceland (November 13) and France (November 16).
