Outgoing Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards is confident his replacement Julian Ward has the skills to help head coach Jurgen Klopp bring more success to the club.

Edwards will step down from his role at the end of the 2021-22 season, when his deal expires, having joined Liverpool in 2011 as head of analytics before eventually rising to his current position in 2016.

In his time as sporting director, Liverpool have won the Champions League, Premier League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Edwards is certain, however, that assistant sporting director Ward will be ready to step into his shoes when he leaves and that the change will spur the Reds on in their continuous pursuit of silverware.

"I know the Liverpool Football Club that I am leaving behind couldn’t be in better hands," Edwards wrote in an open letter to Liverpool fans on the club's official website. "I think it is entirely fitting that the person to take over from me is Julian Ward.

"Julian has been building up the skill-set for this role for many years and there are countless elements of his development that could be highlighted, none more so than the outstanding work he did in creating our loan department six years ago.

"It was during this period that he not only laid the groundwork for a long-term process that continues to provide significant benefit to players and club, he also accelerated his learning on many of the aspects you deal with as a sporting director.

"Last year, he took on the role of assistant sporting director and over the past 12 months he has been introduced to other facets of the role that are vital to its success.

"Again, Julian’s elevation is wholly in keeping with what I believe to be a key factor of the Liverpool Way, with promotion from within ensuring expertise, experience and institutional knowledge are cherished in the way that they should be.

"Over the remainder of this season, I will continue to support him as we complete the leadership transition, working closely with Mike Gordon – the man who never sleeps."

Edwards reserved special praise for Reds manager Klopp, lauding the German's competitive nature and his accomplishments at Liverpool.

"When we sign a player, Jurgen will always say 50 per cent is on him and 50 per cent is on the player himself to succeed," Edwards continued. "I think the timing of his arrival and the implementation of his philosophy and his character as a leader will be remembered at Liverpool forever.

"Being manager of Liverpool is probably harder than playing [the shirt hangs heavy, so they say], but he has delivered so much joy to the fans and reasserted so many of the club’s historical values that he will go down in history as one of the club's managerial greats.

"He is a demanding man – he wants to win, whether it’s padel tennis or a Champions League final – and he has led the team incredibly well over my time at LFC.

"Julian and Jurgen have a very good relationship and moving forward I am confident that they will bring the club more success."

Declan Rice has been withdrawn from the England squad for their latest round of World Cup qualifiers due to illness.

The midfielder has not been able to train since reporting to St George's Park and has returned to West Ham.

He will miss England's qualifiers with Albania and San Marino, from which they need four points to secure a place at the World Cup in Qatar.

England have not replaced Rice in the squad, with Mason Mount and Luke Shaw yet to join the group and still being assessed. 

Chelsea midfielder Mount is recovering from dental surgery while Shaw suffered a concussion in Manchester United's defeat to Manchester City last Saturday.

Rice has been excellent form this season for a West Ham side just three points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Of Premier League midfielders to have attempted 500 passes this season, only Rodri (92.3) has completed more than Rice (91.7).

New Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe insisted joining the club was "a football decision" as he faced questions over the human rights record of Saudi Arabia.

A consortium that included Saudi Arabia's public wealth fund took control of Newcastle in a reported £305million deal, which was approved by the Premier League last month.

The takeover has been met with criticism from some supporters due to Saudi Arabia's human rights record, but new Magpies manager Howe was reluctant to debate the topic.

Ex-Bournemouth boss Howe maintained that he was only focused on football and the stature of the Tyneside club when he decided to take the job.

"Naturally, this is a football decision," Howe said at his official unveiling. "I'm absolutely delighted to be the manager of Newcastle. 

"My focus is football. Running the team, managing the players. That's all I'm going to talk about and that's all I'm going to think about.

"Everything just felt right. The pull of the club is huge, the size of the club, the history of the club. Obviously the new, ambitious plans, the new owners, knowing some of the players, the squad.

"I just thought it was a perfect fit for me. Yes, I've had lots of other options, but I wanted to take my time and really be utilising my time away from the game. I feel refreshed, energised and ready to start work."

Newcastle are 19th in the Premier League after 11 games and are the only team in the division still yet to win a match, managing just five points so far.

The club are five points from safety and, despite the grand ambitions of long-term success, Howe insists that avoiding the drop this season is both his, and the owners', primary focus.

"[The owners and I have] had some really good conversations," Howe continued. 

"I've been very, very impressed by their vision of the club but, to be honest, I haven't delved into that too much because it's all about the short term.

"Obviously the position of the team, we need to try and address that very quickly, move up the league and the aim is to stay in the league, to avoid relegation.

"That's what I'll be working towards and that's really my main focus at the moment, everything else can wait for another day."

Despite the club's precarious position in the table, Howe remained positive about Newcastle's chances of survival under his guidance - but stopped short of making any guarantees.

"I'm absolutely confident that we can [avoid relegation], but I make no promises on that," Howe added. "All I can do is lead the club to the best of my abilities.

"I'll give everything to the job, I'll commit 100 per cent every single day to try and bring success to Newcastle for everybody connected with the club.

"I believe we have the ability within the squad, with the players, to achieve that aim, but it's going to take a lot of hard work.

"It's going to take a lot of sacrifice, suffering, in terms of the players giving everything that they have to try and commit to the objective that we need."

Liverpool have confirmed sporting director Michael Edwards will leave his role after the expiration of his contract.

A club statement said Edwards had given notice to Liverpool's ownership that he wished to take up a new challenge after his deal ends, which is at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Julian Ward, who is the assistant sporting director, will be promoted following Edwards' departure.

Edwards, 42, joined Liverpool in 2011 as head of analytics, and was then promoted to director of technical performance.

Another promotion, to technical director, followed, before he took up the role of sporting director in November 2016.

While in the role, Edwards has overseen a hugely successful spell for the Reds, with Jurgen Klopp's side winning the 2018-19 Champions League and 2019-20 Premier League, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

"To be part of this club during this period has been a privilege due to the people I have been fortunate enough to work with and the success we have enjoyed," Edwards said.

"I had always planned to cap my time at the club to a max of 10 years. I've loved working here, but I am a big believer in change. I think it's good for the individual and, in a work setting, good for the employer, too."

In his presentation as Newcastle United's head coach on Tuesday, Eddie Howe was asked if he knew anything of Edwards possibly joining the Magpies.

Newcastle are looking for a sporting or football director following their Saudi-backed takeover. Michael Emenalo, the former sporting director of Chelsea and Monaco, has also been linked.

"As far as I know, absolutely not, no. I know nothing about Michael Edwards' future," Howe said.

"He's someone that I hugely respect in the game and in what he does and what he's done for Liverpool. My main focus since coming to Newcastle has been on the players that are in the team, not focused on January, not focused on anything outside of what influences the team."

Giorgio Chiellini insists a European Super League is needed, and has also suggested the number of teams in Serie A should be reduced.

The controversial proposal for a breakaway Super League, which involved the 'big six' Premier League sides along with Juvetus, Inter, Milan, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona, was announced in April.

After huge criticism from governing bodies and fan groups, the six English teams, plus Inter, Milan and Atleti, withdrew from the agreement.

Barca, Madrid and Juve, however, have stood by the plan, with UEFA's attempts to punish the trio having proved fruitless.

While the majority of players have spoken out against the proposal, Juve captain Chiellini believes it is exactly what European football requires.

"I've been talking to the [Juve] president for a few years now about this," Chiellini, who will miss Italy's clash with Switzerland on Friday due to injury, told DAZN Italia.

"The future of football is increasingly towards a European approach compared to national leagues. A player at Juve's level wants to play those games, with all due respect.

"Athletes of our level, but also perhaps the fans, want to see more of these European-level fixtures.

"We have reached the point of no return. Institutions, clubs and players must meet to reform the calendar and create new competitions to relaunch this sport, which remains the most beautiful in the world, but can also be improved.

"In the USA, who are masters of this sort of thing, they created Super Leagues in every sport."

Chiellini also thinks Serie A should be reformed and ideally cut to 16 teams.

"There are some Serie A teams who are in the way," Chiellini said.

"We really ought to go back to 16 teams, but I think 18 would allow the league to be more competitive and give extra space to European level fixtures."

New Genoa boss Andriy Shevchenko believes the club "can do great things" and is "really convinced" by the project.

Genoa's new owners, 777 Partners, acquired Italy's oldest club in September and felt the need to replace Davide Ballardini with the team sitting 17th in Serie A after just one win from their first 12 games.

Shevchenko, whose entire five-year coaching career has been as Ukraine manager, was signed to replace him on Sunday and his primary task will be saving Genoa from relegation.

"This is a very important moment in my career as a coach," Shevchenko said. 

"Genoa are an important club, this is a project I care about and the number one objective for us right now is to be in Serie A again next season.

"This is the oldest club in Italy and that means something. I hope to remain here for a long time. I was really convinced by this project. I believe Genoa can do great things in future."

The former Milan striker called on the historic club's fans to play their part in driving the team on, and revealed that new signings would be necessary for the team to achieve their aims.

"I remember it was like playing against 12 men at the Marassi, because the fans were so passionate," Shevchenko continued. "I hope they can provide that atmosphere again, because we need their support.

"The team needs to be reinforced in January. Historically, it has always been a very aggressive side and we need the right mentality. Speaking to the players, I felt they too wanted to improve the situation."

This job is Shevchenko's first foray into club management and the 45-year-old name-checked three of his former coaches when asked to cite his influences.

"The Italian school is very important, so working with coaches like Carlo Ancelotti, Alberto Zaccheroni and Cesare Maldini was a great experience," Shevchenko added.

"Coming to coach in Italy means being able to challenge the best tacticians and it’s an exciting challenge for me.

"I think this side has certain characteristics, probably suited to either the 3-5-2 or the 4-3-3 formation."

Genoa's next game is against Roma and Shevchenko's former manager at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho, who the Ukrainian revealed his reverence for.

"I have great respect for Mourinho," Shevchenko said. "His arrival has brought a great deal to Italian football."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have brought in tight end Darren Fells as Rob Gronkowski continues to struggle with injury.

Fells' agent Ron Slavin confirmed to NFL.com on Wednesday that the Bucs were signing the veteran to their practice squad and are set to elevate him to the main roster this week.

The Bucs later confirmed they had added Fells and also brought back their former wide receiver Breshad Perriman, who like Fells was initially added to the practice squad.

Gronkowski missed four games for the Bucs due to multiple rib fractures before attempting to return in Week 8 against the New Orleans Saints.

However, he was forced to leave the game with back spasms having not made a catch in the 36-27 loss.

The Bucs had a bye week in Week 9 but Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said on Tuesday there was still a worry over Gronkowski's fitness going into Sunday's game at the Washington Football Team (2-6).

Gronkowski had made a fast start to the season with 16 catches and four touchdowns over the first three weeks of the season before going down.

The presence of O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate meant the Bucs still had strong options at TE in his absence and the arrival of Fells – who was waived by the struggling Detroit Lions this week – will provide further depth.

The 35-year-old had 11 receiving touchdowns for the Houston Texans across 2019 and 2020, while he can also contribute as a run blocker.

New England Patriots great Gronkowski took a year out of football in 2019 before returning last season to re-join quarterback Tom Brady in Tampa and play his part in the Bucs' Super Bowl triumph.

The Bucs (6-2) are well placed for another postseason run despite losing to the Saints last time out.

They are top of the NFC South and, as things stand, are not scheduled to play a team with a winning record over the next four weeks.

Jorginho believes it would provide an "incentive" for other players who do not score regularly and prove that goals are not the only factor in the award if he wins the Ballon d'Or.

The midfielder was crowned UEFA Men's Player of the Year in August after winning the Champions League with Chelsea and Euro 2020 with Italy.

The 29-year-old has been named on the shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, but Lionel Messi remains the favourite for the gong, with Robert Lewandowski also a strong contender.

Jorginho - who scored eight goals in all competitions last season – says it would demonstrate that finding the back of the net is not essential for players to be the best on the planet.

"It’s not up to me to say if I should win the Ballon d’Or, but it would be an incentive for other players, to show that not only goals are taken into account," Jorginho said to Globo Esporte.

"I don’t want to have too many expectations, but I would be hypocritical if I said I don’t think about [winning] it. It’s great if it happens, but if it doesn’t, I won’t complain.

"I keep my feet on the ground and I focus on something else, I’ve already won the best player of the year by UEFA."

Jorginho also confirmed that he opted not to represent his native Brazil in 2016, choosing instead to wait for an Italy call-up, having moved to the country at the age of 15.

"[Brazil] tried to convince me, but in the end I chose Italy, otherwise I would have been ungrateful," Jorginho continued.

"It would not be bad to win the World Cup. The Champions League and the Euros can’t be underestimated, but the World Cup goes beyond anything else.

"We won’t be the favourite in Qatar, but we can’t go unnoticed as we won the Euros."

Italy are locked in a fierce battle with Switzerland to finish top of World Cup qualifying Group C. They are level on 14 points, with the Azzurri just ahead on goal difference, and face off on Friday in a potentially decisive clash.

An investment group from the Czech Republic has bought a 27 per cent stake in West Ham.

Businessman Daniel Kretinsky, the co-owner of Sparta Prague, and his colleague Pavel Horsky will also be appointed to the Premier League club's board following the deal.

West Ham said in a statement: "The agreement is a further improvement to the club's capital structure which will initially enable the reduction of its long-term debt and the ability to continue to direct funds generated into other key areas of focus, continuing the positive progress made at West Ham United in recent years."

Kretinsky, who watched West Ham beat Liverpool 3-2 last weekend at London Stadium, said: "I am passionate about football. I greatly appreciate and respect the exceptional history and tradition of West Ham United as well as its loyal and passionate supporter base and also the highly inspiring role it plays in many social programmes and initiatives.

"The development and growth of the club in recent years has been clear for everyone to see and I am delighted to be part of what I believe is a very exciting future ahead. 

"Having been to London Stadium recently to watch David Moyes' team, I know it is an incredible time to become part of the West Ham United family. I feel privileged to now have the opportunity to help everyone here build on the proud traditions of this great club."

Hammers vice-chairman Karen Brady said: "On behalf of the board I am very pleased to welcome Daniel Kretinsky, Pavel Horsky and 1890s holdings a.s to West Ham United. We are always looking to continue to progress and Daniel's involvement brings investment which strengthens the club's position, and in turn will assist in the development of the club's key areas of focus.

"[Joint chairmen] David Sullivan and David Gold have always been very open about finding the right investors to join them on the journey as custodians of West Ham United, and Daniel's strong business acumen and football experience will be of huge benefit to the club. We very much look forward to working with him and Pavel."

West Ham have enjoyed a strong start to the 2021-22 season under manager David Moyes, with seven wins in 11 games putting them third in the Premier League, level on points with Manchester City and three behind leaders Chelsea.

Max Verstappen is bidding to boost his advantage on a race weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix that could prove crucial in helping him close in on a first Formula One world title.

Consecutive victories in the United States and Mexico have seen Verstappen grow his lead over seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to 19 points with just four races remaining.

The result this week at Interlagos, where 29 points are up for grabs as the third and final sprint race of the season takes place on Saturday ahead of the main event on Sunday, could therefore have a seismic impact.

A third straight win would equal the best run in Verstappen's impressive young career but most importantly put him in prime position for the biggest prize of all, which would deny Hamilton the chance to surpass Michael Schumacher and claim an all-time record eighth title.

Red Bull were clearly the faster car in Mexico as previous form proved an accurate guide to that race. They have also fared well of late in Brazil, with the Dutchman winning the last time a race was held at Interlagos in 2019 after a second-placed finish the year before.

The 19-point lead is the second-biggest gap between Verstappen and Hamilton this season. Only in Austria was it larger (32) in a year when it has been tough to separate the pair.

Red Bull have also closed to within one point of Mercedes in the constructors' championship, the smallest gap between two teams at this stage of any season in the 21st century.

Christian Horner's team have had both drivers on the podium in three straight races, their best run in the hybrid era, and repeating the feat here would put them closer to claiming both crowns, ending a historic spell of Mercedes dominance.

However, Hamilton will have plenty to say about that – he has 17 career wins in the Americas (seven in Canada, six in the USA, two in Brazil and two in Mexico). One more would give him the record in that category which he currently shares with Schumacher.

LAST TIME OUT

Verstappen roared to victory in Mexico, moving from third on the grid to the lead by the first corner.

Valtteri Bottas – who had started in pole position – dropped down to last after being hit from behind in a frantic start and could not recover to finish in the points, though he did claim the fastest lap to deny Verstappen an additional point.

Verstappen was rarely troubled after his fine start, claiming a 19th career win and ninth of the season by more than 16 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who held on for second in a battle with home favourite Sergio Perez, a result Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said should be seen like a win given the pace difference between the two cars.

Pierre Gasly took fourth to make it three drivers connected to Red Bull in the first four places, with the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz rounding out the top six.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN BRAZIL

While the gap is expected to be closer at Interlagos than it was in Mexico City, Verstappen goes into the race weekend as favourite given Red Bull's strong momentum.

However, he has not fared well in the two previous race weekends when the sprint format took place and is yet to claim a point in the main race under those circumstances.

He did claim pole – and five valuable championship points – when he won the sprint at Silverstone and came second at Monza to Bottas, who served a penalty, only to retire from each race after collisions with Hamilton.

Hamilton will be up for a scrap again as he desperately bids to remain in contention and Wolff insisted this week it is all still to play for, given the Briton impressively limited the damage with second place in Mexico, one of Mercedes' worst tracks.

Wolff added: "We are going to Brazil – that was not much better for us than Mexico in the past but at least we believe that we can have a solid car there, more close to Red Bull than what we had.

"None of us is ever going to have the mentality of this is going away from us. There is four races to go, four wins to take, four DNFs to suffer, and we will just continue fighting.

"We know that we have a great team. When you look at the mathematical probability then I would rather be 19 points ahead than behind, but it is what it is."

TOP FIVE OPTA FACTS

Front row vital – Fifteen of the past 16 winners in Brazil have come from the first row of the grid (eight from pole). Kimi Raikkonen was the last winner to come from further back, doing so in 2007 when he emerged triumphant from third to clinch the drivers' title.

Unwelcome records – If he finishes second, Bottas will surpass Rubens Barrichello as the driver who has the most runner-up finishes in F1 (30) without being a world champion. He is already the driver who has the most career poles (19) without winning a world title.

Fast Fernando – Alpine star Alonso is the driver who has gained the most positions across both of the sprint races held so far in 2021 (six).

Lando luck – Since he retired in Hungary, Lando Norris – who turns 22 this weekend – has finished in the top five just once in seven F1 races (when he came second in Monza). He had been in the top five in nine of the previous 10 events before this poor run.

Fond memories – Eleven years ago on race day, Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) became the youngest driver to win the F1 world championship in Abu Dhabi at 23 years, four months and 11 days old.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 312.5
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 293.5
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 185
4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 165
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) 150

Constructors

1. Mercedes 478.5
2. Red Bull 477.5
3. Ferrari 268.5
4. McLaren 255
5. Alpine 106

We're officially past the halfway point of the NFL season, meaning we are also heading into the home stretch of the fantasy campaign.

If you're in the cellar of your league, then it's probably time to take things a little less seriously, maybe find ways to have some fun with your lineup.

But if you're still firmly in the mix, then you can ill afford to make bad decisions as to which players to slot into the starting spots.

As always, Stats Perform is here to provide a helping hand with a look at four offensive players and a defense worthy of selection in Week 10.

Quarterback: Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Do not let the Chiefs' performance against the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers fool you.

Yes, the Chiefs have improved somewhat on defense of late, but they are still one of the league's worst at defending the pass.

They have given up 7.49 yards per pass play this season, while the Raiders are fifth in yards per pass play on offense (7.40).

No quarterback in the NFL has attempted more passes of 21 air yards or more than Carr (41), and he is averaging 16.4 yards per attempt on those throws.

Motivated to bounce back and claim a key win in the division after a shock loss to the New York Giants, expect Carr to be aggressive and, crucially, successful in attacking a vulnerable opponent.

Running Back: James Conner, Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers

Conner leads the NFL in touchdowns with 11 after his hat-trick in the Cardinals' win over the San Francisco 49ers last week.

He will likely get the bulk of the workload in the run game for at least the next few weeks, Chase Edmonds having gone down with an ankle injury at San Francisco.

His next assignment is a Panthers defense that has given up 100 yards rushing in three of their past four games. Back him to produce and find the endzone again at home.

Wide Receiver: Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Washington Football Team

Back off the bye and ready to mount a charge for the one seed in the NFC, the Bucs could hardly ask for a better opponent.

Washington's pass defense has conceded 109 plays of 10 yards or more this season. Only the Indianapolis Colts (110) and Miami Dolphins (112) have been more generous in that regard.

Leading Tampa Bay with 69 targets so far this season and with Antonio Brown unlikely to feature, Godwin is the top candidate to be the latest wideout to capitalise significantly on Washington's unexpected defensive frailties.

Tight End: Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Detroit Lions

Freiermuth may be the answer to fantasy managers' prayers when it comes to the famously top-heavy tight end position.

He has emerged as a key weapon for Ben Roethlisberger in recent weeks, scoring three touchdowns in his past two games.

A matchup with a Detroit defense giving up the most yards per pass play in the NFL (8.28) could provide a recipe for a career day.

Defense: Cleveland Browns @ New England Patriots

The Browns defense did an excellent job frustrating Joe Burrow and Co. in their thumping win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week.

This week, they get a favourable matchup in the form of the Patriots. Yes, the Pats are 5-4, but they rank 20th in yards per play (5.46), are tied sixth for the most giveaways (14) and lead the league with 60 negative plays on offense.

Look for Cleveland's defense to enjoy another successful day on the road.

Hansi Flick would like all of Germany's players to get vaccinated against coronavirus, but does not judge those who wish not to be.

On Tuesday, Germany confirmed that Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule – who is fully vaccinated – had tested positive for COVID-19. He was immediately placed into quarantine.

Squads no longer have to do mandatory PCR testing, but Germany elected to do so. With Sule testing positive, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Karim Adeyemi and Joshua Kimmich were classed as close contacts and had to leave the training camp to isolate.

Another four players, who have not been named, were also said to have contact with Sule, but were allowed to remain at the camp. They will train alone and be monitored closely over the coming days.

Apart from Sule, no other positive cases were recorded.

While the vaccination status of Adeyemi, Musiala and Gnabry is not known, Bayern star Kimmich has publicly revealed he wishes to wait for more research to be completed on the vaccines before taking up the offer.

Though he would have preferred to avoid the subject and instead focus on Germany's World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Armenia, Flick reiterated his opinion that everybody should get vaccinated, but also stressed it must be down to the individual to make such a decision.

"There are enough experts who deal with it," Flick told a news conference on Wednesday.

"They have come to the conclusion that there is no compulsory vaccination. There are people in all areas who do not get vaccinated.

"We are in the public eye. We also have a great responsibility. But I've said everything about how I feel about it.

"I want the players to be vaccinated, but that's up to them. I hope that there will no longer be issues such as the five players we have to send home due to coronavirus, that is what I would like as a coach."

There has been a suggestion that players who are unvaccinated may not be able to compete at the 2022 World Cup.

"Qatar is still a long way off, we will see what comes next," he added.

"Our team doctor said enough yesterday. The fact is that we thought about it beforehand and tested ourselves. We feel it is our responsibility to ensure that we are all healthy.

"That something like this would happen to us was almost foreseeable. But we have no compulsory vaccination. I believe that people should not be judged who do not get vaccinated.

"For me the only way out of the pandemic is to get vaccinated – even in professional football. That is my opinion. But everyone has the right to refuse."

Flick also confirmed that Julian Draxler would miss Thursday's match against Liechtenstein with a muscle injury.