GOTZE V DRAXLER: WHAT NOW FOR THE GERMAN WUNDERKINDS?

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The two playmakers have stalled at club level in recent seasons, but could be future international stars going into Tuesday's Bundesliga clash between Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg

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Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg clash on Tuesday having both spent over £100 million in this summer’s transfer window, yet among the glitz and the glamour stand two young talents with Germany’s future in their hands: Mario Gotze and Julian Draxler.

Gotze and Draxler are two attacking midfielders who are yet to live up to the hype they amassed when they first emerged, but may still come good if they have anything to say about it.

Bayern boy wonder Gotze's time in Munich has been well documented as something of a minor disaster. Yet rather than label the former Borussia Dortmund star a flop, there is hope for the very man who won his nation the World Cup just one year ago.





Gotze arrived at Bayern hoping to be the main man, but instead was quickly ushered in to the side and asked to get in line behind talents such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben.

Pep Guardiola had in fact hoped to sign Neymar instead of the German international when he first arrived in at Bayern, a fact that has become abundantly clear with every passing day since Gotze joined the Munich side.

Primarily played as a central attacking midfielder at Dortmund, Gotze has been used on either wing to little effect - often subbed on with little time to make an impact - when he hasn’t been thrown up front and asked to play as a false No.9.

Despite sharing very few attributes with the Barcelona and Brazil star, Gotze has continually been asked to play just like him. That alone has stunted his growth as a player and what he can bring to this Bayern side.

Fortunately, Gotze still has a fan in national team boss Joachim Low, who has instead opted to play the 23-year-old in his preferred position as a traditional No.10. This talented youngster may not be on form in Bavarian red, but in the white of Germany he has scored three goals and bagged an assist in his last four starts for his country.

Many of the Allianz Arena faithful sympathise with the midfielder while remaining optimistic that Gotze may become the player he was anticipated to be once Guardiola most likely departs Germany after his third campaign with Bayern. The attacking midfielder may not be in the most perfect situation, but there is room for hope in the future.

Draxler will empathise with Gotze and his current predicament, having left Schalke for Wolfsburg just a few weeks ago.

Like Gotze, Draxler knows exactly how much damage managers can cause. Yet rather than working under an established, proven coach like Guardiola, the former Schalke man was stifled with Roberto Di Matteo at the helm.

Indeed, the 22-year-old scored just two goals for the Royal Blues of Gelsenkirchen last season in 15 league games, while Di Matteo continuously meddled with team tactics and how best to use his players.



Di Matteo tried 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 3-5-2 and even 5-3-2 formations last season and often deployed Draxler on either wing when he wasn’t out injured. Whichever way you look at it, last season was something of a write-off for the attacking midfielder and his manager.

Di Matteo duly resigned in May but it would be late August before Draxler could escape his own predicament. Fortunately for the young talent Wolfsburg opted to sell Kevin De Bruyne in the final moments of the summer transfer window, before paying the £25 million asking price for the 22-year-old.

The attacking talent had found an escape plan and was finally rid of the circus that has been Schalke for the last few seasons now.

Under Dieter Hecking, a pragmatic manager who often finds the best in even ordinary players, Draxler has moved in to his favoured No.10 role - a position only recently vacated by De Bruyne - and wasted little time dragging himself back to form.

On Tuesday the young midfielder will play in his fourth game for Wolfsburg, yet he already has a goal and an assist to his name. Bayern may find a way to keep him quiet in this coming match, but there is no denying that there is still plenty to come from Draxler in the coming season.

In a match that is sure to showcase a wide variety of talent from across the world, many within Germany will be keeping an eye on these two opposing players.

Not only are each key to their own sides, but with a bit of luck each may be key players in Germany’s success for years to come.