Anwar El Ghazi wins unfair dismissal case after Mainz lose final court appeal | OneFootball

Former Aston Villa promotion winner Anwar El Ghazi has won his unfair dismissal case against Bundesliga club Mainz, after a German labour court rejected the club’s latest appeal on Thursday, making the ruling legally binding.

According to ExpressAndStar.com, he was with Mainz in 2023 and was suspended after sharing 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 the destruction of Israel, while others say it appeals for equality for Palestinians and Israelis.

The club later said 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 July 2024 the winger won an unfair termination case, entitling him to more than 1.5 million euros. The court said freedom of expression outweighed the club’s interests.

After the latest verdict he posted on X, urging Mainz’s decision makers to stop contesting the matter and pay the remainder of his contract. El Ghazi helped Villa win the Championship play-offs in 2019, scored 26 goals in 119 games, and now plays in Qatar.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com