Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended midfielder Mesut Ozil following the backlash he's encountered after recent comments regarding the alleged treatment of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region of China.
Gunners midfielder Ozil—a devout Muslim—tweeted on Friday criticising China, which resulted in state broadcasters removing Arsenal's fixture against Manchester City on Sunday, which they lost 3-0.
Wenger, 70, maintained Ozil doesn't represent his club, though he also said the player's "freedom of speech" permits him to share his views, per BBC Sport:
"What he says is about himself and not Arsenal.