Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan’s involvement in the ongoing row about a photo they had taken with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan could influence Germany head coach Joachim Low’s team selection, according to Oliver Bierhoff.
“Jogi [Low] does not make any populist decisions just to satisfy someone, he rather looks at the sporting side of things,” Bierhoff told Bild when asked about a possible influence on the starting formation. “But [the scandal] could as well be a small aspect [in the decision-making process].”
Premier League duo Ozil and Gundogan, both born in the German city of Gelsenkirchen to Turkish parents, had a picture taken with Erdogan during the Turkish president’s visit to London in May.