Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker will not be flying out on international duty just yet.
It’s international week, and players are preparing to leave their clubs to meat their national team colleagues, but at Arsenal there are two exceptions.
Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker will not be flying out to join the German squad, not yet at least.
Manager Jogi Loew has confirmed both players have been advised on medical grounds to remain in London, suffering from flu-like symptoms.
He told Bild: “From the medical side, it was said that it would be bad if they have to fly.”
Germany travel to Italy for an international friendly on Friday, before facing England at Wembley next Tuesday.
It may be far more convenient for the Arsenal pair to skip the Italy friendly and stay in London for the game against Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions.
Low did not elaborate on his long-term plans for the pair, which could hint it could be a day-to-day decision. He clearly wanted both players to join up with the squad, but had been told they could not.
Mertesacker missed Arsenal’s match with Manchester United with illness, while Ozil did play. However he was disappointing, and the explanation that he was ill, might just be a key reason why.
image: © tjuel
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