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Frankfurt captain Marco Russ played for the first time since discovering he had a brain tumour on Thursday night, scoring an own goal as his side drew with Nuremburg.

The 30-year-old was diagnosed with the tumour on Wednesday but insisted on playing in the first leg of their relegation/promotion play-off.

Russ put the ball into his own net shortly before the break but Frankfurt recovered and earned a 1-1 draw thanks to Mijat Gaćinović's second half effort.

Defender Russ discovered he had the tumour after a failed drugs test led to follow up tests

(Image: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

Frankfurt were informed of the positive test on Wednesday with Germany's anti-doping agency (NADA) suspecting that the high levels of growth hormone HCG found in the sample were due to illness rather than the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Further tests by the club revealed they were indeed due to a tumour, Frankfurt said, without disclosing the location of the growth.

(Image: Juergen Schwarz)

"Despite this tragic diagnosis the player has said he is ready to play, something that has been confirmed by the doctors," Frankfurt said in a statement on Wednesday.

Russ is a Frankfurt youth product, having been at the club for almost his entire career apart from a two-year spell at VfL Wolfsburg between 2011-13.