Mesut Ozil celebrates his goal during their International Champions Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain in Singapore. Getty Images
Mesut Ozil celebrates his goal during their International Champions Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain in Singapore. Getty Images
Mesut Ozil celebrates his goal during their International Champions Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain in Singapore. Getty Images
Mesut Ozil celebrates his goal during their International Champions Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain in Singapore. Getty Images

Arsenal to award Mesut Ozil captain's role after German fires Arsenal to big win over PSG


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Mesut Ozil looked set to be handed a captain's role this season after he shrugged off his tempestuous row with German authorities to fire Arsenal to a 5-1 friendly win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Ozil, playing for the first time since he controversially quit the German national team claiming racism, took the captain's armband and duly netted the opener as the Premier League club ran riot.

Alexandre Lacazette's quickfire double and late strikes from Rob Holding and Eddie Nketiah then turned it into a rout against a youthful PSG - the former club of new Arsenal manager Unai Emery.

"We're looking to Mesut and giving him responsibility, and I think he can take responsibility like a captain," said Emery, adding that he would name Ozil as one of five or even six club skippers for the coming season.

"He and the other players had quality, good positioning I'm very happy with how the players played... Tomorrow we're going to travel to London but this week was very good for our preparation," the Spaniard said.

Ozil, in front of 50,000 fans at the International Champions Cup game in Singapore, was quickly into his stride with midfield partner Henrikh Mkhitaryan against a PSG line-up shorn of its World Cup stars.

He opened the scoring with a tap-in at the far post after Mkhitaryan released Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in space and the Gabonese forward passed back across the face.

Ozil's exquisite flick during a length-of-the pitch move nearly produced Arsenal's second but Gianluigi Buffon saved well from Nigerian forward Alex Iwobi.

The Italian great also denied Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan, while at the other end teenager Timothy Weah twice went close and Christopher Nkunku curled one over.

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Read more:

Ozil thanks Arsenal fans for their 'love' after racism row with German FA

German FA chief rejects Ozil's racism claims but regrets lack of support

Mesut Ozil has respect of every player, says Arsenal manager Unai Emery

Ozil retirement takes Low by surprise but leaves Matthaus disdainful

German FA 'grateful' for Ozil contribution but reject claims of racism

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After the break, an Nkunku free kick drew a flying save from Arsenal substitute Emiliano Martinez, before Weah went down for a 59th-minute penalty which Nkunku converted with aplomb.

But Lacazette hit back with two goals in four minutes -- first a sumptuous, near-post heel-flick which sailed past the nonplussed Buffon, and then a close-range header.

Substitute defender Holding added the fourth with a towering header on 87 minutes, before Nketiah swept home Arsenal's fifth with the last kick of the game.

Emery's Arsenal, edged on penalties by Atletico Madrid on Thursday, enjoyed their first high-profile win under Emery, who takes the reins after Arsene Wenger's 22 years in charge.

Ozil, who is of Turkish heritage, sent shockwaves through Germany this week when he quit the national team complaining of "racism and disrespect" from football authorities.

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

In numbers

- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100

- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100

- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India

- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100

- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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