Vaccination status is still unknown – shock for the Nati captain – Granit Xhaka fell ill with corona again

Granit Xhaka has been infected with the corona virus for the second time and therefore missed his club Arsenal when they went bankrupt in the FA Cup against second division Nottingham Forrest (0: 1). The Gunners communicated this via Twitter before the game. There is currently no statement from the Nati-Captain himself about the illness and his state of health. In addition to the Swiss, the Londoners are also missing the British Folarin Balogun for the time being because of a positive PCR test.

The Arsenal fans are ecstatic that they have to do without their top performers again. “If Xhaka is not back soon, we are lost,” writes a Gunners supporter on Twitter. Another says: “Without Xhaka we are at a loss”.

No wonder – when the Nati captain returned to the pitch after his absence due to the corona and the suspension, he delivered several strong games for the Londoners, who are currently fighting seriously for the Champions League places for the first time in years .

The Nati captain missed the World Cup qualifying games against Italy and Northern Ireland last autumn because he was infected with Covid-19. Following Xhaka’s infection, Nati media chief Adrian Arnold stated that Xhaka was not vaccinated (at least at the time).

“It is up to each individual player to decide whether he or she wants to be vaccinated”, said Arnold at the time. Shortly before, the SFV had sent a press release in which it gave its 300,000 members a vaccination recommendation. Roma trainer José Mourinho also spoke up about the cause and wrote in an Instagram post from Xhaka: “Get the granite vaccination and stay healthy.”

“Even the captain is a person who cannot be forced to be vaccinated,” said Nati trainer Murat Yakin in the autumn when he was asked about Xhaka’s decision not to be vaccinated. It is not known whether the 29-year-old has decided to have a vaccination.

In the aftermath of the announcement, Xhaka was partially attacked below the belt on social networks and in comment columns in online media. The attacks against the Nati captain even went so far that SFV boss Blanc was forced to take him with a public statement To defend.

In it Blanc said: «Our captain decided against the Covid vaccination. We fully respect this decision. As a football association, we recommend vaccination, but it is everyone’s right whether they want to be vaccinated or not. “

Xhaka is not the only national player who has tested positive for Corona. Lyon star Xherdan Shaqiri had only recently been infected with the virus, according to “L’Équipe” and will now return to the Olympique squad for the game on Sunday evening against PSG.

It was also the second time for Shaqiri that he tested positive for Corona. Previously, a PCR test showed positive for him at the Nati meeting in October 2020. A year later in October 2021, Shaqiri was part of the FOPH’s corona campaign. “I’m vaccinated,” wrote the Lyon professional at the time in a story under a picture with his arms crossed.

Kevin Mbabu, a national star, was last infected on his winter vacation and therefore had to go into quarantine in Dubai. According to German media reports, the Wolfsburg player is still not vaccinated against Corona.