Granit Xhaka
Arsenal captain, Granit Xhaka has given an explanation of why he gestured towards fans and swore at them after he was jeered as he was substituted during their 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.
Xhaka has come under criticism in some quarters for his reaction to supporters as he was replaced by Bukayo Saka after 61 minutes of the game at the Emirates on Sunday.
In a statement on Arsenal’s official Twitter page, he revealed he and his family had been targeted on social media, which had seen him reach a “boiling point”.
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“After taking some time to reflect on what happened on Sunday afternoon, I would like to give you an explanation rather than a quick response,” the statement read.
“The scenes that took place around my substitution have moved me deeply. I love this club and will always give 100 per cent on and off the pitch.
“My feeling of not being understood by fans, and repeated abusive comments at matches and in social media over the last weeks and months have hurt me deeply.
“People have said things like “we will break your legs”, ‘kill your wife’ and ‘wish that your daughter gets cancer’.
“That has stirred me up and I reached a boiling point when I felt the rejection in the stadium on Sunday.
“In this situation, I let myself be carried away and reacted in a way that disrespected the group of fans that supports our club, our team and myself with positive energy. That is not my intention and I’m sorry if that’s what people thought.
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“My wish is that we get back to a place of mutual respect, remembering why we fell in love with this game in the first place. Let’s move forward positively together.
“Granit.”
Arsenal boss Unai Emery left Xhaka out of their Carabao Cup fourth round penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday night, after revealing on Tuesday that the player was “sad” and “devastated” at the reaction.
It is unclear whether Xhaka will return to the Arsenal squad for Saturday’s game against Wolves.
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