Anwar El Ghazi and his former employer Mainz 05 did not reach an agreement in court on Wednesday, following the ex-international's earlier dismissal by the Bundesliga club. Both parties have asked the president of the German labor court for an independent settlement proposal.
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Mainz immediately dismissed El Ghazi after the former striker of PSV and Ajax commented on the conflict in Gaza. El Ghazi posted anti-Israeli messages on Instagram, which the club did not accept. This was enough for the Germans to fire El Ghazi.
Following that decision, both parties were in direct opposition. The dismissal led to a significant dispute, and efforts to resolve it through mediation in January ended without any agreement. Consequently, a court hearing was scheduled for Wednesday to address the financial settlement of the contract termination. However, according to Kicker, the hearing in Mainz on Wednesday also failed to produce a resolution.
The German outlet reports that the demands of both parties are far apart. El Ghazi believes he is entitled to 4.2 million euros from Mainz. This amount is based on his missed monthly salaries and collectible bonuses. Additionally, his contract would have been automatically extended if Mainz maintained their position in the league, which they did, so the second contract year also needs to be paid according to the player.
Mainz, on the other hand, is demanding over half a million euros from El Ghazi. According to the club, the striker has caused reputational damage to his former employer. They argue that the anti-Israeli messages posted by El Ghazi on social media have negatively impacted the club's image and standing.
The significant gap between the demands of both parties led to the request for an independent settlement proposal. This independent proposal is expected to provide a neutral resolution to the dispute. The settlement proposal hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 12, when El Ghazi and Mainz will meet in court again. Both parties hope that this independent mediation will finally bring an end to the ongoing conflict and provide a fair resolution to the financial disagreements stemming from El Ghazi's dismissal.
