El Ghazi signs for Cardiff after Mainz row over Israel-Hamas posts

Cardiff have signed Anwar El Ghazi after a German court found he was wrongfully dismissed by former club Mainz for making comments about the war in Gaza on social media. (X/@elghazi1995)
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Updated 01 August 2024
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El Ghazi signs for Cardiff after Mainz row over Israel-Hamas posts

  • El Ghazi will now be joining Welsh capital club Cardiff, who play in English football’s second-tier Championship
  • “I’m really hungry and looking forward to playing for this great club,” El Ghazi told Cardiff’s website

LONDON: Cardiff have signed Anwar El Ghazi after a German court found he was wrongfully dismissed by former club Mainz for making comments about the war in Gaza on social media.
El Ghazi, who has won two caps for the Netherlands and previously played for Aston Villa and Everton, will now be joining Welsh capital club Cardiff, who play in English football’s second-tier Championship.
Last month, a German labor court ruled Mainz’s decision to dismiss the former Dutch international last year “did not terminate the employment relationship” and the contract between the parties remained valid.
The ruling entitled El Ghazi, 29, to a payment from Mainz of more than 1.5 million euros ($1.63 million), AFP’s sports subsidiary SID reported.

And on Wednesday, El Ghazi announced his contract had been mutually terminated, leaving him a free agent.
“I’m really hungry and looking forward to playing for this great club,” El Ghazi told Cardiff’s website.
“The city is amazing. I’ve got to feel at home, and from the moment I arrived here I’ve been feeling good.

“I know I’ve not been playing for a while. I stayed fit for myself, but team training is obviously different. When I’m fully fit, I want to help the team where I can with goals, with assists and with my experience. I will give everything for the shirt.”
El Ghazi wrote on X on Wednesday that he had no regrets over his previous posts.

“It would be unconscionable to remain silent whilst we witness what is happening in Gaza,” he said.
The war in Gaza began on October 7 with Hamas’ unprecedented attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the military says are dead.
Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed at least 38,345 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.


Man United held to 1-1 draw at home by struggling West Ham

Updated 05 December 2025
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Man United held to 1-1 draw at home by struggling West Ham

  • Man United are eighth in the standings on 22 points, while West Ham remain 18th on 12 points, two adrift of Leeds United in 17th spot

MANCHESTER, England: Manchester United missed the chance to go fifth in the Premier League when they were held 1-1 by West Ham United at Old Trafford on Thursday, a result which keeps the visitors in the relegation zone.

After a scrappy goalless opening half, the hosts took the lead in the 58th minute through Diogo Dalot but West Ham’s Soungoutou Magassa equalized seven minutes from time which led to boos from the home fans at the final whistle.

“Angry and frustrated, that’s it,” Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said.

“We are really inconsistent but if you look at the goal (we conceded), we have a long ball, we have everything under control, we need to do better.

“We knew set pieces would be a problem with the difference in height in the team but we could do it. We could maintain the ball after the first goal and again we lost two points.”

Man United are eighth in the standings on 22 points, while West Ham remain 18th on 12 points, two adrift of Leeds United in 17th spot.

West Ham had the best of the opening half-hour, played at a pedestrian pace, but never really threatened before the hosts began to take control.

We are really inconsistent but if you look at the goal (we conceded), we have a long ball, we have everything under control, we need to do better

Ruben Amorim

Bryan Mbeumo played a one-two from a short corner before trying a looping shot from outside the area which sent West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola scrambling to tip it over the bar.

Amad Diallo put a ball across the box which Joshua Zirkzee sent goalwards with his thigh and Aaron Wan-Bissaka headed off the line, and seconds later Bruno Fernandes’s effort skimmed the outside of the post.

Wan-Bissaka was a rock at the heart of West Ham’s defense against his former club, putting in crucial challenges and keeping his side level going in at the break.

Magassa shot into the side netting early in the second half before Man United found the opening goal. An attempted shot from Casemiro took a deflection and the ball fell kindly for Dalot almost on the penalty spot and he sent his shot on the turn past Areola.

“We are disappointed. At 1-0 with 30 minutes to go we have to control the game more, especially at Old Trafford,” Dalot told Sky Sports.

“We cannot get as anxious as we got after the goal. Maybe we got sloppy with the ball possession. We had the game there. We think it is down to us rather than credit to West Ham.

“It is a good feeling. Every time you get the opportunity to score a goal for a club like this is amazing, especially at the Stretford End.

“But I would change it for the three points.”

The game looked to be petering out to a narrow win for the home side, with West Ham never really looking like finding an equalizer until Jarrod Bowen’s flicked header from a corner was cleared off the line by Noussair Mazraoui and Magassa smashed home.

“It felt amazing. We played a good game, and everyone fought,” Magassa told Sky Sports.

“I am so happy to score my first goal in the Premier League.”

Both teams sprung to life in the final minutes in search of a winner and Fernandes was guilty of a couple of late misses.