SUZHOU, China: Midfielder Julian Draxler said Monday that the single-minded “egos” of Neymar and Paris Saint-Germain’s other star forward did not always make it easy for the team.
And the German World Cup winner told AFP in an interview in China that he was still hurting from the French club’s failure to go farther in the Champions League last season.
PSG play Sydney FC in a friendly on Tuesday in Suzhou, China, but Draxler already has his mind on what promises to be another big season for the club and him personally.
Draxler, part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad, said it was “a pleasure” to play with the attacking triumvirate of Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe — even though it has its challenges.
The Brazilian star Neymar, who is in China but will not be involved in the match as he works his way toward full fitness, has made clear that he wants to return to Barcelona.
“All of them are exceptional players, it is hard to find in the world players of this level,” said Draxler, who arrived in the French capital in January 2017 for a reported 36 million euros from Wolfsburg.
“But of course they have their own minds, their own heads, they live football, they want to score every game, so they have an ego.
“So sometimes it’s not easy for the whole team, but if you are lucky enough to play alongside these players, it’s just a pleasure every day.”
Like Neymar, Draxler — who has more than 50 caps for Germany — has been linked with a move away from the perennial French champions, having been in and out of the starting XI.
Asked how he would summarise his time in France so far, Draxler blew out his cheeks and paused.
“It’s two-and-a-half years now since I arrived and I won a lot of (domestic) titles so I am happy about that,” he said.
“I became a better player than I was before, so that’s positive, but what is negative is what we achieved in the Champions League.
“We did not go far in the Champions League and that was one of the goals when I signed.”
Bankrolled by Qatari money and coached by Draxler’s fellow German Thomas Tuchel, PSG went out in the last 16 of the Champions League after conceding a late goal home to an injury-hit Manchester United.
“It hurts a lot, it hurts still that we did not go through,” said Draxler, five months on.
“But from the potential in the team, we are ready to go far in the Champions League.”
Draxler was linked over the summer with Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham Hotspur, but he made it clear that he is focused only on showing PSG what he can do.
He said that he has “space to improve — a lot.”
“I am almost 26 and I think the best years of my career are coming now, I hope so.
“Now I am a good age: I have experience but I am still young,” he added.
“Hopefully the fans and the club will see the best version of Julian in the next season.”
Hurting Draxler hopes ‘egos’ can fire PSG in Europe
Hurting Draxler hopes ‘egos’ can fire PSG in Europe
- “Hopefully the fans and the club will see the best version of Julian in the next season”
Driving force behind Saudi motorsport lauds partnership with Formula E ahead of Jeddah E-Prix 2026
- Prince Khalid bin Sultan: We are proud to continue our partnership with Formula E, which represents a model for the future of sports based on innovation and sustainability
- Alberto Longo: We are delighted to be in the Kingdom, and we view Saudi Arabia as a long-term strategic partner in building the future of electric motorsport globally
JEDDAH: The driving force behind Saudi motorsport, Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, has lauded its partnership with Formula E ahead of the Jeddah E-Prix.
“For Saudi Arabia to host such prestigious international motor races is a great honor. We are proud of that, as part of our drive to achieve the aims of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030,” said Prince Khalid bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC).
The announcement was made at a major press conference that took place at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Thursday in the presence of Alberto Longo, the Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer of Formula E and Carlo Boutagy, the Founder and CEO of CBX.
Speaking ahead of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, taking place at the iconic Jeddah Corniche Circuit on 13 and 14 February 2026, Prince Khalid told press: “Since hosting its first international race in 2018, motorsports in the Kingdom has witnessed a qualitative leap in terms of organization, audience attendance, and global standing, and today the Kingdom has become a major stop on the calendar of the most important international championships.”
He added: “We are proud to continue our partnership with Formula E, which represents a model for the future of sports based on innovation and sustainability, and is fully aligned with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”
For his part, Alberto Longo, the Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer of Formula E, stated that Saudi Arabia was among the first partners to believe in the vision of Formula E, he said: “We are proud that our first major international station in the region is part of the transformation path led by Vision 2030.”
He added: “We are delighted to be in the Kingdom, and we view Saudi Arabia as a long-term strategic partner in building the future of electric motorsport globally.”
Carlo Boutagy, the Founder and CEO of CBX spoke to the press about the event and what the Formula E enthusiasts expect this year, he said: “The Jeddah E-Prix achieved great popular and organizational success in the last edition, with tickets selling out before the race date, which reflects the rapid growth of motorsports in the Kingdom.”
“Today we are not just talking about a race, but about a complete experience that includes competition, entertainment, audience interaction, and presenting a modern model for the sports events industry in the Kingdom,” he added.
He pointed out that beyond racing, the event offers a full entertainment experience, including concerts, interactive fan zones, and global sponsor activities designed to engage attendees of all ages.
