Mesut Oezil has been surprisingly left out of the
Arsenal side to face Atletico Madrid in a Singapore friendly on
Thursday as the fall-out from the Erdogan picture affair rumbles on.
Oezil did not start the match and was also not included in the list
of substitutes on the team-sheet against the Europa League champions.
Arsenal did not give a reason for his absence.
While the 29-year-old midfielder Oezil has been backed by team-mates
and Arsenal manager Unai Emery after quitting the Germany side on
Sunday, the DFB federation have been denying his accusations of
racism.
"It's something I firmly reject for both the association and myself
personally," DFB president Reinhard Grindel said Thursday.