Midfielder Granit Xhaka has been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang taking over, Gunners’ boss Unai Emery has confirmed.
Xhaka, 27, was involved in an angry confrontation with home fans during the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on 27 October.
“I had a meeting with him and told him he is no longer in the captain’s group,” said Emery on Tuesday.
“He accepted my decision. I needed to take a decision and now it’s closed.”
The Switzerland captain was booed as he walked off the pitch after being substituted against Palace, prompting him to cup his ear, take his shirt off and head straight down the tunnel to the dressing room.
Emery later said Xhaka should apologise to the club’s supporters, saying the midfielder “knows he was wrong”.
However, Xhaka did not go that far, although he did say he got “carried away” and reacted “disrespectfully” to fans.
He has not played since and is not in Arsenal’s squad for their Europa League game in Portugal against Vitoria Guimaraes on Wednesday (15:50 GMT kick-off).
Xhaka joined the club from German side Borussia Monchengladbach for £35m in 2016 and played in the 2017 FA Cup final as Arsenal beat Chelsea.
He also helped the Gunners reach the Carabao Cup final in 2018 and the final of the Europa League earlier this year.
Arsenal are fifth in the Premier League and play away at third-placed Leicester City on Saturday (17:30).
source: BBC
