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Monchengladbach defender Martin Stranzl to retire at end of season

Borussia Monchengladbach defender Martin Stranzl has announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

Stranzl, 35, has missed much of this season through injury and has said that even if he recovers his best form when he comes back, the time has come for him to call it a day.

"I've unfortunately not been able to play as many games this season as I had imagined, and that is why I have decided to call an end to it all in the summer," he said at an emotional news conference on Tuesday.

"I would still like to play again [this season] and I am going to do everything I can to do that.

"I want to play one more game in front of these fantastic fans. There have been so many moments together that you simply do not forget as a footballer."

Former Austria international Stranzl was talked into continuing his career last year when he first contemplated retiring, but a calf injury has restricted his opportunities since then.

"We had an incredibly good time together and Martin is a total professional who young players can certainly take a lot of inspiration from," Gladbach director of sport Max Eberl said.

"I am pleased that he earned such a good reputation at a club like Borussia."

Stranzl moved to the Foals from Spartak Moscow in 2011 and has made a total of 143 appearances for them, scoring 10 goals.