Arsenal midfielder Xhaka slams social media trolls for abusing family

‘I don’t see them as supporters of my club’: Granit Xhaka slams social media trolls for abusing his family following boos he received against Crystal Palace in 2019… as he claims such vile messages are ‘killing football’

  • Granit Xhaka claimed he received threats directed at his family in October 2019 
  • They came after he was booed and told fans to ‘f*** off’ against Crystal Palace
  • A UK tech firm also said Xhaka was targeted after his red card against Burnley
  • The Swiss, 28, insists that if vile messages continue they will ‘kill football’

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has condemned the social media abuse that has been aimed at his family and believes such vile messages are ‘killing football’.

The Swiss has been no stranger to online abuse, claiming that he received personal threats and disgusting messages directed at his family from trolls after a Premier League match against Crystal Palace in October 2019.

The 28-year-old reacted to jeers from the crowd as he was being substituted by appearing to tell the fans to ‘f*** off’ and cupping his ear in response to being booed as he left the pitch at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has condemned the social media abuse aimed at his family


Xhaka and his family were targeted after he reacted angrily to fans booing him in a game against Crystal Palace in October 2019

He apologised for the incident on Instagram a few days later but laid out that his wife Leonita – who is currently pregnant with their second child – and baby girl Ayana were also targets of the abuse.

UK tech firm Signify also revealed earlier this month that haters – some which identified as Arsenal supporters and season-ticket holders – piled in to Xhaka online after his red card against Burnley in December, using his Kosovo-Albania heritage and his religion – he is a Muslim – to attack him.

Now opening up on the comments he has received on social media ahead of the club’s crucial Europa League last-32 tie against Benfica, Xhaka slammed those who had targeted his family and said football may be killed off if such events continue.  

‘If I showed the others what they write, I think I have to close my social media, everyone has to close social media,’ Xhaka said.

Xhaka also received racist and religious abuse after a red card against Burnley in December

Six posts actually called for harm to the former Arsenal captain after the Burnley game

Some posts made abusive references to Xhaka’s Kosovo-Albanian heritage

‘I say that before and I will say that now and in the future as well, it is only about me. I am the guy who is on the pitch. 

‘It is not my wife, it is not my little one, it is not my family. So if you want to criticise someone, no problem to criticise me like a person, like a player. But don’t make the other people involved because they have nothing to do with my job.

‘The problem is only if you lose, then it is a problem. It is not a problem when you win. If you lose, everyone hates you, everyone is writing you things like…it is not possible to understand how they can write something like this you know.

‘I wish I could meet the people who write me the things, to sit with them, eyes by eyes and to ask them, ”why are you writing things like this?”

But Xhaka has called for abuse not to extend to families after his wife Leonita (left) and daughter Ayana (centre) were targeted

‘This is not acceptable. So you have to open our eyes and to look after this a lot, because I think you kill the football like this if the people start to speak about a player or their families or things like this.’

Xhaka was subsequently stripped of the captaincy by then boss Unai Emery after the Palace incident and was set to move back to the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin in last year’s January transfer window.

But Mikel Arteta replaced compatriot Emery in December 2019 and Xhaka insisted the 38-year-old is one of the reasons why he eventually decided to stay in north London.

‘Everyone knows he is one of the reasons why I am still at this club,’ Xhaka added. ‘We have a great relationship.

Xhaka also praised Mikel Arteta as one of the key factors of him remaining at the club

‘I didn’t come to this club for two or three years, I came here for long term. What I had one year ago, no-one thought I would still be here.  

‘This is football. Everyone knows my contract after this season is two years more. I’m very happy. Let’s see what happens.’

The Switzerland international’s dismissal in the 1-0 loss to Burnley more than a year on was one of only two games at the Emirates Stadium to have 2,000 spectators in attendance.

The game against Burnley was only one of two games with fans at the Emirates this season

And Xhaka insists he wants to fans to return, with a crowd of 10,000 possible for Arsenal’s final Premier League game this season at home to Brighton.

‘Not really, I’m not a guy who is scared or afraid to play in front of our fans – never, ever,’ he added.

‘I love the club and I respect the people around the team as well. I wish we could play with the fans because they would push us more and more and more.

‘But the situation is what it is and hopefully things will change as quickly as possible to have the fans back and work together, to see we are improving and we want to take the next step as a club – this is what I wish.’

Xhaka insists he wants fans to return, with 10,000 possible against Brighton on the last day




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