This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
Published on November 1, 2019, Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka has broken his silence after a shocking outburst at the Emirates Stadium.
Granit Xhaka apologized on Thursday for his anger after being taken off against Crystal Palace last Sunday, revealing he reached 'boiling point' over abuse of his wife and daughter from the crowd and on social media.
The Switzerland midfielder's substitution during the 2-2 Premier League draw drew sarcastic cheers from the home fans, prompting Xhaka to cup his hand to his ear before taking off his shirt and storming down the tunnel amid boos from the home supporters.
"The scenes that took place around my substitution have moved me deeply. I love this club and always give 100% on and off the pitch," Xhaka said in a statement on Instagram.
He added, "My feeling of not being understood by fans, and repeated abusive comments at matches and in social media over the last weeks and months have hurt me deeply. People have said things like 'we will break your legs', 'kill your wife' and 'wish that your daughter gets cancer'. That has stirred me up and I reached boiling point when I felt the rejection in the stadium on Sunday."
Xhaka acknowledged that he got carried away and had reacted in a manner that 'disrespected the group of fans that support our club, our team and myself with positive energy.' He apologized for his actions and expressed his wish for the team to move forward positively together.
