Zimpapers Logo

LONDON. — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted club-record signing Mesut Ozil didn’t leave Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid because he wanted an easier life with the north London club.German play-maker Ozil left Spain for England in a £43 million move on transfer deadline day, with Ozil saying he no longer felt as involved in the plans of Real manager Carlo Ancelotti following Gareth Bale’s world record switch to the Bernabeu from Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham. However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez subsequently said Ozil asked to leave because “he couldn’t handle the pressure at Madrid”.

But Wenger disagreed with Perez’s analysis, saying Ozil, who has impressed since joining the Gunners and is set to play his first home match at the Emirates Stadium against Stoke tomorrow, was well capable of handling high pressure matches.

“No, I have not seen that at all,” Wenger said Friday when asked if Ozil looked like a player wanting a less stressful time than the one he’d endured in Madrid.

“He is 24, he has over 50 caps for Germany and when you play for Germany, you are under a lot of pressure. He won the championship with Real Madrid.” — AFP.