Anwar El Ghazi wins unfair dismissal case against Mainz after social media row | OneFootball

Anwar El Ghazi has won his unfair dismissal case against Mainz, and the ruling is now legally binding.

According to ExpressAndStar.com, the winger, who helped Aston Villa win the Championship play-offs in 2019, was suspended by Mainz in 2023 after sharing the phrase "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" on social media.

The slogan is seen by some as a call for Israel’s destruction, while others say it seeks equality for Palestinians and Israelis. Mainz said he could return if he distanced himself from the comments, but he refused, stating he did not regret them, and his contract was terminated immediately.

In July 2024 he won an unfair termination case against the club, entitling him to more than 1.5 million euros. On Thursday a German labour court rejected an appeal for Mainz to deny leave to appeal a previous finding, and said freedom of expression outweighed the club’s interests.

After the latest verdict he urged Mainz to pay the remainder of his contract. El Ghazi has scored 26 goals in 119 games and is currently playing in Qatar.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com