Latest injury may signal end to Bellarabi's playing career
A muscle fiber-tear brings the season, and quite possibly the career, former German international Karim Bellarabi to a close.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen confirmed the loss of winger Karim Bellarabi for the the season on Thursday courtesy of a muscle fiber tear suffered in last Friday night's 1-2 loss to 1. FC Köln. The 33-year-old - on an expiring contract - may have played his last match for Germany's red company team. The latest setback may even spell the career end for the 11-times-capped international.
Persistent injury problems this year have limited the Berlin-native to just three short relief appearances this year. His relevance for the club he's represented for 11 seasons has been on a steady decline in recent seasons. All of the recent injury issues render him an unlikely candidate to generate interests from other clubs.
Since joining Leverkusen from then third third side Eintracht Braunschweig in 2011, Bellarabi has netted 37 league goals in 241 appearances for "die Werkself". Across all competitions, he's found the back of the net 60 times for Bayer. His last German national team call up came in 2016. He scored once for country in a Euro qualifying match back in 2015.
