Mesut Ozil’s shocking history of illnesses in the last 20-months

Arsenal’s first win of the season was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that their German playmaker Mesut Ozil did not play a part in the game due to a strange illness, many fans refused to believe the narrative especially as rumours of a training ground row with Unai Emery surfaced. After the match, Emery had to clarify the position conceding that the 29-year-old player was truly sick just before the game.

While fans are calling for the head of the player, it can be said that the player may be having issues with his immune system going by the number of games in the last 20-months he has missed for the Gunners as a result of illness.

The chronicles of his illness in that time are summed up below;

Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud’s spectacular scorpion goal in the 2-0 win against Crystal Palace on January 1, 2017 did not feature Ozil as he was said to be recovering from flu.
The player also missed the subsequent games against Bournemouth and Preston North End.

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29-year-old Ozil complained of an illness and left the training ground ahead of Arsenal’s crunch tie with Liverpool. He subsequently didn’t make the trip to Anfield on the 4th of March 2017 where they lost 3-1.

Hours to the game against Burnley in November 2017, Ozil once again fell sick in the team hotel and had to travel home. Arsenal won the game by a lone goal but Wenger didn’t seem to know the nature of his illness. He said: ‘The doctor came to see me and said he had to travel back home, he was in the hotel with us,’

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‘He travelled up with us, then travelled back.’

Same reason was cited for Ozil’s absence during Arsenal’s second leg against Ostersund in the Europa League round of 16 in February 2018. Although, he came back in the Carabao Cup final three days later.

Finally, against same West ham, this time in April 2018. The midfielder missed Arsenal’s 4-1 drubbing of the Hammers in what was described as another bout of flu.

From the foregoing, it does truly appear the German international might have been sick before their game against West ham. It may also bode well for Arsenal to figure out a way to keep their star player’s immune system optimal to prevent him missing out on important games.