MESUT OZIL became a rebel with a cause as he helped guide Arsenal into the Europa League Last 16.
The delicate German has been a regular absentee from training since the arrival of new boss Unai Emery – either because he has been injured or sustained some unspecified illness.
And before tonight’s second-leg clash, he had been AWOL from key action, starting just ONE of the Gunners’ ten matches since Christmas.
Yet while the 30-year-old World Cup winner did not end up as the headline act against BATE Borisov on his return to the starting XI, there were enough tricks and skills to suggest the playmaker still has a role to play as Arsenal chase Champions League qualification on two fronts.
Ozil even ended up wearing the captain’s armband as the Prem side booked their spot in the next stage of a competition in which their manager has considerable pedigree.
Speaking to SunSport at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco on Monday, former Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger defended the decision 13 months ago to award Ozil a £350,000-per-week deal – the biggest contract in the club’s history.
The Frenchman argued that to buy a player of Ozil’s quality would cost between £50m-£100m in the transfer market.
Yet Wenger – who clearly understood how to handle the German with kid gloves unlike the bullish Emery – questioned whether star players, when handed such lucrative terms, would naturally fall into the comfort zone.
If anything, it was a surprise that Ozil was back in the side and would be trusted with overturning the 1-0 first-leg deficit – especially with many fearing he had no future at this club.
During the warm-ups, in front of swathes of empty seats, Ozil cut a relaxed and confident figure. Dare we say it, he was even smiling while exercising and practising with his teammates.
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Okay, so Ozil wasn’t engaging in box-to-box dashes nor sprinting back for every defensive set piece.
Yet he was an interested figure here, volunteering to take the corners, linking up with players, pressing defenders, trying to create space.
You couldn’t fault his effort nor his willingness to unlock the defence of the Belarusian champions.
On 32 minutes for example, Ozil audaciously back-heeled the ball from inside the penalty area for the on-running Granit Xhaka but the Swiss star’s shot was wayward.
Ozil could have created something even more special on 38 minutes when a cross from Henrikh Mkhitaryan was diverted into his path. Yet a Hollywood ending was denied when his volley flashed over.
At least he could laugh in the second half when he mis-hit a left-footed volley which dribbled away for a goal-kick.
For a player earning his eye-watering sums of dosh, you would expect much better.
But then give his lack of match practice, perhaps we should cut him some slack.
During the second half, a song went up in support of the troubled star. Some of the crowd sang: “We’ve got Ozil…just don’t think you understand.”
And while Ozil is a very hard character to understand, it was good to see him back finally.
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News Photo Arsenal verdict: Mesut Ozil shows he can still play a key role this season after recent snubs
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