LONDON: Granit Xhaka has been left “devastated” by the confrontation with Arsenal supporters on Sunday but still should apologize said Gunners manager Unai Emery on Tuesday.
Emery, though, would not be drawn on whether the 27-year-old Swiss international midfielder will remain the captain following his tantrum on being substituted in the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.
Xhaka — who was voted captain by a secret ballot of his team-mates in the close season — has enjoyed a fractious relationship with the Arsenal supporters since he joined in 2016.
It reached its nadir on Sunday when they booed him as he walked off with him cupping his hand to his ear and then apparently mouthing an expletive in their direction before storming down the tunnel.
“Yes (he should apologize),” said Emery, speaking on the eve of the Gunners’ League Cup fourth round clash with Liverpool.
“We make mistakes, we need to apologize and we suggested for him to do that.
“Really, he knows he was wrong and he feels inside very deep.
“Now we are looking, seeing he is devastated and the first thing is to recover him.
“We need our family, friends and supporters to support us, love us.
“He is not feeling that with the supporters.
“But we are speaking with him ‘first, be calm. Be close to your family and be close to us because we are your family’.”
Emery said Xhaka has the qualities required of a captain but refused to respond as to whether he remained in his post.
“At the moment I am not speaking and I don’t want to think about that,” the Spaniard said.
“It is not easy for him and for the team. We spoke yesterday, and Sunday night also, and this morning.
“He has the values, the respect in the dressing room, experience.
“He is captain of his national team and has the condition to be the captain.
“I decided that. The players respect that, and he was wrong on Sunday and it was not the response of a captain.”
While he has been silent since the incident, Xhaka changed his Instagram profile picture on Tuesday from one in which he is sporting the Arsenal armband for one of him captaining Switzerland.
He will be taken out of the firing line for a few days at least as he will not travel to Anfield for the League Cup tie.
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‘Devastated’ Xhaka should apologize, says Emery
‘Devastated’ Xhaka should apologize, says Emery
- Manager Unai Emery would not be drawn on whether the 27-year-old Swiss international midfielder will remain the captain following his tantrum on being substituted
- While he has been silent since the incident, Xhaka changed his Instagram profile picture from one in which he is sporting the Arsenal armband for one of him captaining Switzerland
Cristiano Ronaldo buys stake in Saudi-owned second-tier Spanish club
- Brunswick Group says in a statement on Thursday that Ronaldo has bought a 25 percent share of the club that has a Saudi Arabian owner
ALMERIA: Cristiano Ronaldo has purchased a stake in Spanish second-division club Almeria, a consulting firm representing the Portuguese soccer star said on Thursday.
Brunswick Group said in a statement that Ronaldo bought a 25 percent share of the club that has a Saudi Arabian owner.
“It has been a long-time ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch. UD Almería is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth,” Ronaldo said in the statement.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner bought the stake in Almeria through his CR7 Sports Investments subsidiary, according to Brunswick Group.
Almeria has been under control of Saudi Arabian owners for over six years. Mohamed Al-Khereiji became the new owner and president of the club at in the summer of 2025 when he bought it from Turki Al Alsheikh.
“We are very pleased that Cristiano has chosen our club to invest in,” Al-Khereiji said in the statement. “He knows the Spanish leagues very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy.”
The financial details were not disclosed.
Almeria did not immediately respond to an email request by the Associated Press asking for more details on the deal.
Almeria is currently in third place in Spain’s second division. It was most recently in the first division in 2023-24.
Brunswick Group said in a statement that Ronaldo bought a 25 percent share of the club that has a Saudi Arabian owner.
“It has been a long-time ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch. UD Almería is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth,” Ronaldo said in the statement.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner bought the stake in Almeria through his CR7 Sports Investments subsidiary, according to Brunswick Group.
Almeria has been under control of Saudi Arabian owners for over six years. Mohamed Al-Khereiji became the new owner and president of the club at in the summer of 2025 when he bought it from Turki Al Alsheikh.
“We are very pleased that Cristiano has chosen our club to invest in,” Al-Khereiji said in the statement. “He knows the Spanish leagues very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy.”
The financial details were not disclosed.
Almeria did not immediately respond to an email request by the Associated Press asking for more details on the deal.
Almeria is currently in third place in Spain’s second division. It was most recently in the first division in 2023-24.
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