Nicolai Mueller of Hamburg celebrates scoring the opening goal. Photo / Getty
By Will Griffee
Long-term injuries are always tough to take but spare a thought for Nicolai Muller who's pride is probably hurting just as much as his ruptured cruciate ligament.
The Hamburg winger is out for around six months after his balletic spinning, twisting, goal celebration ended in disaster.
After volleying in neatly at the near post, Muller sprinted away before rotating twice, then leaping in the air before a crunching landing ended with him in agony lying on the turf.
He'd lasted just 14 minutes and trudged to the sidelines sheepishly, unable to carry on.
It was later revealed that Muller has ruptured his ACL after the studs stuck in the ground and the pressure on his knee became too much.
Knee ligament injuries are notoriously difficult to come back from and Muller now faces an extended spell out of action.
It will be scant consolation but his effort proved to be the difference between the sides as Hamburg ran out 1-0 victors over Augsburg.
porting director Jens Todt said: "The diagnosis is a huge shock for us, a big blow for the start of the season and of course extremely bitter for Nicolai. We wish him a good recovery and will help him with that as well as we can."
Muller, who was arguably Hamburg's best player last the season, was the subject of transfer speculation as he had yet to extend his contract with the club.
The 29-year-old forward will no doubt be regretting his flamboyant celebration and his manager Markus Gisdol is likely to be equally enraged.
Perhaps when Muller returns to full fitness, he'll go with the old Alan Shearer one hand raised approach, or the current player favourite, double finger point to the sky.
Co-ed schools like Rangiora High and St Andrew's College are excluded from the proposal.