Per Mertesacker: The safety of all supporters is the most important thing

While Arsenal players were shielded from the issues outside Emirates Stadium ahead of kick-off against Cologne, they still were worried about what was happening. Per Mertesacker says the squad were in the dark about the situation, but felt that playing the game was the right decision.

“It was difficult to handle because we were already in the dressing room and then we found out that the kick-off was delayed by an hour,” he said. “It is frustrating, and you want to find out if you are actually going to play or not. That was in doubt. 

“We wanted desperately to play - but of course the safety of all supporters is the most important thing. 

“I just wanted to make sure my family was OK, which they were. Because some people said to tell them to just stay at home, because there were so many people outside the stadium. But in the end we were happy to play and finish the game.

“The atmosphere [once the match started] was actually quite positive because the fans inside the stadium were quite enthusiastic and it was quite fun to play in front of two crowds battling each other. It felt good to be part of that.”