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The former Real Madrid and Arsenal star took some time out to poke fun at former rivals Atletico Madrid
In a cheeky jab at Atletico Madrid, former Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil has stirred the football community with his comments on the impending introduction of blue cards in professional football.
The blue card, which represents a significant change in the sport's disciplinary system, is slated to make its debut as part of a trial involving sin bins, a move that marks the first new card color introduced in the game in 50 years.
Blue cards and sin bins set for trial at lower levels
The Telegraph reports that this innovative step will be officially announced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Friday. Under the new system, players committing cynical fouls or showing dissent towards match officials will face a 10-minute removal from the game.
This addition aims to provide referees with greater authority to manage on-field conduct, also noting that receiving two blue cards in a match, or a combination of a blue and a yellow card, will result in a player being sent off.
Ozil trolls Atletico Madrid with one tweet
Seizing the moment to engage in some friendly rivalry banter, Ozil took to social media to mock Atletico Madrid, suggesting that the introduction of blue cards would leave the LaLiga giants playing with just six players. "So Atletico Madrid will only play with 6 players then?" Ozil quipped on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ozil, who enjoyed three successful seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu, has faced Atletico Madrid multiple times, both in his tenure at Real Madrid and later at Arsenal. With seven wins out of eight encounters against Atletico during his time in Madrid, Ozil boasts an impressive record against the Spanish club, contributing four goals and two assists.
As the football world awaits the official announcement and subsequent implementation of blue cards and sin bins, Ozil's comment serves as a reminder of the spirited interactions that make football rivalries so engaging. Whether Atletico Madrid will indeed find themselves numerically challenged remains to be seen, but for now, the football community can enjoy a bit of humor as it contemplates the future of discipline in the sport.
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