Injury shock for DFB heroine! Popp couldn't feel her foot

Lyon (France) - Two games, zero points: Things are going anything but smoothly for the VfL Wolfsburgwomen's soccer team in the still early Champions League season. To make matters worse, Alexandra Popp (33) has now suffered an injury in addition to her sporting misery - and with it another bitter setback.

Cannot stop Lyon star Kadidiatou Diani (29, r.): Wolfsburg striker Alexandra Popp (33, l.).
Cannot stop Lyon star Kadidiatou Diani (29, r.): Wolfsburg striker Alexandra Popp (33, l.).  © Ronny HARTMANN / AFP

After the bitter 1-0 opening defeat at top Italian club AS Roma, the Wolves suffered their next defeat last Thursday evening.

Head coach Tommy Stroot's (35) team lost 2-0 to French record winners Olympique Lyon in front of their home crowd, leaving the seven-time German champions with their backs to the wall after just two matchdays and with their hopes of progressing to the next round hanging in the balance - not to mention the absence of Popp, who was injured in her 100th game in the UEFA Women's Champions League and its predecessor competitions.

The 33-year-old limped off the pitch with an injured ankle in the closing minutes of the match at the AOK Stadium, which was packed with 2,403 spectators, after colliding with Haitian counterpart Melchie Dumornay (21).

Trembling for Wolfsburg striker Alexandra Popp: "Shock moment"

A royal evening of soccer to forget! VfL Wolfsburg have to worry about the 33-year-old after the Champions League match against Olympique Lyon.
ContentImage.Description   © Ronny HARTMANN / AFP

There was great concern about the striker's state of health: "It was actually a brief moment of shock for me too, because my foot was numb and tingling for a moment. That's why I didn't know what was happening to me for a moment," said Popp after the final whistle and explained that she was fine. The foot "just felt normal again. I'm really happy about that."

Popp announced her retirement from the DFB team at the end of September this year. "Neither my body, which is a ticking time bomb, nor any other person should get ahead of me. Before the fire is completely extinguished - because then it would be too late - now is the right time," said the 145-time international.

On October 28, the three-time Footballer of the Year will make her last appearance forGermanyin the match against Australiain Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia . The match kicks off at 2 pm.