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Flu-victim Draxler to miss final Germany qualifier

Paris Saint-Germain star Draxler played on the right wing in Germany's 3-1 win against Northern Ireland in Belfast on Thursday which confirmed the world champions' place at next year's World Cup in Russia.

Paris Saint-Germain’s German midfielder Julian Draxler (L) outruns Bordeaux’s Brazilian midfielder Otavio during the French L1 football match Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Bordeaux (FCGB) on September 30, 2017 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP

Julian Draxler will miss Germany’s final World Cup qualifier on Sunday against Azerbaijan with flu as the hosts chase a record 10 straight wins on the road to Russia.

Paris Saint-Germain star Draxler played on the right wing in Germany’s 3-1 win against Northern Ireland in Belfast on Thursday which confirmed the world champions’ place at next year’s World Cup in Russia.

The Germans can finish with a perfect record of 10 victories from their qualifying games with a victory against Azerbaijan in Kaiserslautern (kick-off 1845 GMT).

Germany has never qualified for a World Cup finals before with a 100 percent record.

If they beat Azerbaijan, they will become only the second country to win all 10 games in a European qualifying campaign after Spain first achieved the feat on the road to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

Draxler is the second big-name to pull out of Sunday’s final qualifier after defensive midfielder Toni Kroos withdrew with a rib injury.

Even with Kroos and Draxler out, Germany head coach Joachim Loew still has 21 players to select from and will not call up any replacements.

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