• Football

Ozil dismisses nightclub claims

ESPN staff
November 14, 2013
Mesut Ozil said he was fit for Arsenal's loss at Manchester United

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil has rejected claims his visit to a nightclub following his side's 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford had anything to do with his delayed arrival at Germany's training camp.

Ozil, 25, did not meet up with his German compatriots in Munich until Wednesday afternoon ahead of his nation's friendlies against Italy and England.

The Arsenal midfielder reported ill with a virus that also caused his club teammate Per Mertesacker to pull out of the Germany squad.

However, doubts regarding Ozil's illness emerged when the Express published photographs of Ozil leaving a nightclub during the early hours of Monday morning following Arsenal's defeat at United.

"It was already late when we returned from Manchester. I then went for food and drinks," Ozil told Bildon Wednesday. "But that had nothing to do with reporting ill with a flu the next day. I felt totally fit in Manchester and went the full 90 minutes."

The midfield star is hoping to be fit in time for the rematch of the 2012 European Championship semifinal against Italy, which Germany lost 2-1.

In September, Real Madrid denied a claim by Ozil's father that Florentino Perez leaked negative stories about his son's off-pitch behaviour to quell criticism in Spain of the decision to sell the German to Arsenal for 50 million euros.

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