Press conference

Will we see Mesut Ozil again this season?

Mesut Ozil may have played his last game under Arsene Wenger.

The Germany playmaker sat out Sunday’s win over Burnley with a mild back problem and he is touch and go to make an appearance against either Leicester or Huddersfield.

At his pre-match press conference, Arsene Wenger was asked if Ozil’s season is over. “Maybe,” the boss replied.

“He was in yesterday [Monday] for treatment and he still has a back problem. Even at half-time in Madrid, he had that problem. I think it’s highly unlikely that he will play again before the end of the season because he doesn’t train.

“Football players [do not choose when to play]. I can understand that because you [the media] are all positive spirits who see everything negatively, but when he’s injured, he’s injured. 

“It looks like that sometimes, when a player can cover the pain for one game, but then after that there’s a recurrence of inflammation. That’s what happened to him. He wanted to play on Sunday. It was an enjoyable game to play but at the moment he’s injured.”

Ozil’s future at Arsenal was secured in February and the boss believes he will have a “huge influence” when he’s fully fit.

“The club made a big investment, basically because the player was free as well and the club would have to buy a player [to replace him],” said Wenger.

“When you look at the number of transfers for these kinds of players, they are huge. I think it is a good investment and the player is top quality. He has gone through a difficult patch now because he is always in and out but once he is back on a consistent way he will have a huge influence.”

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