Granit Xhaka of Arsenal accused of racial abuse and interviewed by police after Heathrow Airport incident
Arsenal star Granit Xhaka has been interviewed by police after being accused of racially abusing a member of staff at Heathrow airport on Monday night – little over 24 hours after he had been sent-off in his team’s victory over Burnley.
The incident completed a remarkable sequence of ill-discipline for Premier League title chasers Arsenal , with Xhaka already preparing to serve a long suspension and manager Arsene Wenger facing the threat of a touchline or stadium ban for pushing a fourth official.
Xhaka was seeing off a friend, who was refused entry on to a flight to Germany after arriving late for boarding at Heathrow Terminal 5.
A stunned witness claimed the 24-year-old midfielder, who cost Arsenal £32.5million from German club Borussia Monchengladbach, racially abused a member of staff in German, at which point airport security and police were called. Xhaka was then taken to a west London police station for questioning.
He disputes the words he is accused of saying and denies saying anything directly to the member of staff. A Metropolitan Police statement read: “Police were called at 19:29hrs on Monday, 23 January following an allegation that a member of staff had been racially abused at Heathrow Airport, Terminal Five.
“The allegation was made by a third party. “Officers attended and spoke with a man in his 20s. He was not arrested. He voluntarily attended a west London police station where he was interviewed under caution. “Enquires continue.”
Arsenal refused to comment on the issue, stressing it was both a private and police matter. Wenger is believed to have been unaware of Xhaka’s police caution on Tuesday, but will hold talks with the player over exactly what happened.
Regardless of the dispute over what was said and to who, Wenger will be furious that the player has got himself into serious trouble so quickly after collecting his second red card of the season, which is likely to result in a four-match ban. Xhaka was sent-off against Burnley for a wild two-footed lunge on Steven Defour with Arsenal one goal ahead.
Down to 10 men, the Gunners conceded a late penalty which resulted in Wenger being sent from the dug-out and pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor before Alexis Sanchez netted the winner from the spot.
Having arrived in England with a reputation for bad behaviour, Xhaka was also sent off for tripping Swansea City's Modou Barrow in October.
Wenger had already planned to warn Xhaka about his on-pitch discipline and his responsibility to his team-mates, but the talks between the pair will now be far more serious. Speaking about Xhaka after the Burnley game, Wenger said: “He has to control his game and not punish the team with his lack of control and his tackling. “We don’t encourage our midfielders to go down in tackles, we want them to stand up and not make these kind of fouls.” Should, as expected, Xhaka receive a four-match ban for his Burnley red card, then he will miss the FA Cup tie against Southampton and Premier League games against Watford, Chelsea and Hull City.
Wenger was charged with misconduct for his act of ill-discipline, which could see him banned from the touchline, or even the stadium, for the games against Southampton, Watford and Chelsea. He has until 6pm on Thursday to respond. A Football Association statement read: “It is alleged that in or around the 92nd minute, he used abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official.
“It is further alleged that following his dismissal from the technical area, his behaviour in remaining in the tunnel area and making physical contact with the fourth official amounted to improper conduct.” Wenger immediately apologised for his bad behaviour, saying: “I regret everything. I should have shut up and gone in and gone home, basically.
“I apologise for that. There's nothing bad. I said something you hear every day in football, but nine times out of 10 you're not sent to the stand for that. But if I am, I am and I should have shut up completely.”
