Anwar El Ghazi wins unfair dismissal case against Mainz | OneFootball

Anwar El Ghazi has won his unfair dismissal case against Mainz, with the ruling now legally binding after a German Labour Court decision on Thursday.

The winger is due more than 1.5 million euros after prevailing in July 2024, and the latest attempt to derail the process has been rejected, exhausting the Bundesliga club’s options.

El Ghazi helped Aston Villa win the Championship play-offs in 2019, then joined Mainz in 2023.

He was suspended after sharing social media posts that included the phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”. The slogan is viewed by some as a call for Israel’s destruction, while others say it argues for equality for Palestinians and Israelis.

Mainz later indicated he could return if he distanced himself from the comments, but he refused and said he had no regrets. His contract was then terminated with immediate effect.

In the final judgment, freedom of expression was found to outweigh the club’s interests.

After the verdict, El Ghazi wrote on X that Mainz’s decision-makers should stop and pay the remainder of his contract. He scored 26 goals in 119 games for Villa and now plays in Qatar.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com