English Premier League
John Obi Mikel slams Kai Havertz over controversial Chelsea fan gesture
By: Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria football legend Mikel John Obi has launched a scathing attack on Arsenal forward Kai Havertz following the Germany international’s controversial actions during a return to Stamford Bridge.
Havertz, who spent time at Chelsea before moving to Arsenal, scored against his former club, but his gesture of shushing the home fans—amidst loud boos—has drawn criticism from Mikel, who believes it was a disrespectful move.
The incident occurred during Arsenal’s recent match against Chelsea, when Havertz, in an emotional moment, gestured to the Stamford Bridge crowd to be quiet after scoring.
While some may have seen it as part of the competitive passion of the game, Mikel, who made over 300 appearances for Chelsea, feels the action crossed a line.
In an appearance on the Obi One Podcast, Mikel shared his thoughts on the matter, expressing that Havertz should have shown more respect for the Chelsea fans, especially given his time at the club.
“Looking back at it, if he wakes up this morning, I think it’s just the adrenaline and passion of the game that made him do that, but I still think it’s a bit disrespectful to a club that you’ve played for and won trophies for,” Mikel said.
“When I played for Chelsea, I wasn’t the most liked player. Some of the fans didn’t appreciate me as much as they should. But that didn’t stop me from loving the club and doing my job.”
Mikel continued by emphasizing the importance of showing respect to one’s former club, even when emotions run high in such a high-stakes game.
“If you leave the football club and come back, and score, I think you should still show some respect. You can still celebrate, but not shush the fans. I don’t know the reason why that happened, but for me, it was a little bit disrespectful.”
Mikel’s words reflect the values of respect and professionalism that he always upheld during his successful career at Chelsea.
Despite facing criticism from certain sections of the fanbase, he never allowed it to affect his commitment to the club. For the Nigerian legend, there is a clear line between passion and professionalism, and he believes Havertz’s gesture crossed that line.
