Mesut Ozil recently criticized the El Clasico after admitting that the level of play in La Liga’s greatest game of the year has decreased.

The legendary match between Real Madrid and Barcelona is known as the El Clasico, and it has featured some of the greatest rivalries in football history, most notably between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ozil, who played 159 times for Real Madrid over three seasons, reportedly stated that the El Clasico has lost its passion and intensity in recent years.

El Clásico has, in my opinion, lost its fire and emotion nowadays. At the time, Barcelona was a formidable opponent, thus defeating them was significant. The 5-0 loss we suffered in La Liga in 2010 was one of my worst nightmares on the field, I also have to admit. I’ve participated in a lot of games and derbies, but I don’t believe anything will compare to those Clasicos. Ozil just announced his retirement from the game of football following a distinguished career that saw him play for Werder Bremen, Arsenal, and Fenerbahce.

According to the Daily Mirror, Mesut Ozil is betting on his old team Arsenal to defeat Manchester City and win the English Premier League this year. The 2014 World Cup champion is adamant that Arsenal should be declared the winner after the Gunners’ outstanding performance under Mikel Arteta allowed them to hold onto the top spot in the Premier League standings since September.

Ozil joined the Gunners from Real Madrid in 2013 and contributed 79 assists and 44 goals in 254 games.

Mesut Ozil has disclosed the crucial choice that led to his signing for Real Madrid in 2010 despite a long-standing interest from rivals Barcelona, Sports Brief previously reported. The 34-year-old German midfielder, who played for elite teams like Real Madrid and Arsenal, just declared his retirement from the game. Ozil has now acknowledged that Jose Mourinho was the driving force behind his decision to choose Los Blancos over La Blaugrana when he made his greatest professional transfer.