1. FSV Mainz 05 releases Anwar El Ghazi from training and games. The exemption is a response to a now-deleted social media post by the 28-year-old.
In this post, El Ghazi “took a position on the conflict in the Middle East in a way that was intolerable for the club,” according to a statement from the Bundesliga club. “The release was preceded by a detailed discussion between the board and the player. Mainz 05 respects that there are different perspectives on the complex Middle East conflict that has been going on for decades. However, the club clearly distances itself from the content of the post, as it is not consistent with the values of our club.”
Social media post on Twitter: +++ Mainz 05 releases Anwar El Ghazi +++ pic.twitter.com/A8Fe8ytdeP
El Ghazi caused a stir with a post on Instagram that has since been deleted. He first shared a post that said, among other things: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” What is meant is that Palestine should extend from the Jordan to the Mediterranean. This, in a sense, denies Israel its right to exist. The post was later deleted.
El Ghazi replaces profile picture
The Dutchman El Ghazi, who left PSV Eindhoven in the summer and moved to Mainz, also had a profile picture with the words “I stand with Palestine” in his Instagram profile until Monday. On Tuesday, that photo was replaced with an image of El Ghazi’s face.
Last weekend, Palestinian terrorists carried out a devastating attack on Israeli civilians on behalf of Hamas. So far there have been more than 1,300 deaths in Israel. A pro-Palestine contribution from Noussair Mazraoui from FC Bayern had previously caused a stir. The Munich team announced that they would talk to the defender as soon as he returned from his international trip with Morocco.
Mainz 05 professional with further posts
El Ghazi also shared a post from his wife on Sunday showing the professional with their son and the following text message: “Yesterday I was walking through the city with Malik and he heard the sound of a plane. Then he said: plane. All I could think about was how grateful I am that my baby heard the sound of a plane and not bombs. That’s a gift because no government is doing anything to stop Israel.”
El Ghazi not at training
El Ghazi did not attend team training on Tuesday. Instead, he was in talks with those responsible for the 05, as the club announced via the “Allgemeiner Zeitung”. The Mainz team announced the exemption on Tuesday evening.
