Arsenal manager Unai Emery reportedly had a little chat with both Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac before deciding to leave them out of the team today.
Clearly, the Spanish tactician felt it appropriate to give the pair a little more time off following surprise events last week.
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A video surfaced online appearing to show Ozil and Kolasinac being attacked by a gang in north London, with the latter fighting off the criminals with his bare hands.
These events were later confirmed in a report by the Daily Mail, and one can well imagine the Gunners duo are still a little shaken.
Some things are more important than football and few would begrudge the players a little more time off after receiving such a shock and having been put in such a life-threatening situation.
Arsenal fans will no doubt have wanted to see a full-strength side today, but journalist Mark Mann-Bryans explains the absence of Ozil and Kolasinac in his tweet below, and few will be surprised…
Both Ozil and Kolasinac are at the Emirates today but will not be involved against Lyon after Unai Emery had a chat with the pair and decided to leave them out. #AFC
— Mark Mann-Bryans (@MarkyMBryans) July 28, 2019
Other big names start today’s friendly game against Lyon, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette among those back in action at the Emirates Stadium.
There’s also a place for exciting young attacking midfielder Joe Willock, who has an opportunity to make an impression in Ozil’s absence.
There’s no room for loan signing Dani Ceballos in the first XI, but one imagines he will make an appearance off the bench later…
Arsenal XI vs. Lyon: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Sokratis, Monreal, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Mkhitaryan, Willock, Aubameyang, Lacazette.
Lyon XI vs. Arsenal: Lopes, Dubois, Yanga Mbiwa, Denayer, Marcal, Mendes, Lucas, Cheikh, Terrier, Traore, Memphis.
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) July 28, 2019