Singapore: Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil avoided Wednesday any talk of the controversy surrounding his retirement from international football as the German midfielder opted to focus on the club’s pre-season friendly tournament here.
Making his first public appearance since his retirement statement Sunday triggered a bad-tempered debate in Germany about relations with its largest immigrant community, Ozil was all smiles at a fan event here.
“It’s very exciting to be in Singapore. It’s our second time here and we really enjoy coming,” he told a gathering of Arsenal fans a day ahead of a friendly against Atletico Madrid at the National Stadium. They also play Paris St Germain, Sunday.
“We are expecting good matches against Paris St Germain and Atletico Madrid. They are great teams with great players; it’s a test for us to get ready for the new season, so it’s something to look forward to,” the player added.
Arsenal boss Unai Emery meanwhile said Mesut Ozil has nothing but respect from his teammates after his decision to quit Germany’s national team claiming racism sparked uproar in his home country. “We want to help Mesut and to make him feel here with us like he’s at home, like a family. I think Mesut, he has here the respect of every player. For him it’s one thing with the national team and another with us,” Emery said.