Arsenal star Mesut Ozil accused of affair with ex-Bayern Munich defender's girlfriend

Christian Lell alleges that the midfielder was involved with Melanie Rickinger while he was still in a relationship with her

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Accused: Mesut Ozil (centre) is alleged to have been involved with Melanie Rickinger (r)

Mesut Ozil has been accused of having an affair with ex-Bayern Munich defender Christian Lell's girlfriend.

Both players have now split with their partners but German newspaper Bild has published claims that Lell has implicated Arsenal midfielder Ozil in his separation.

Lell alleges that the Gunners man was involved with Melanie Rickinger while he was still in a relationship with her.

Ozil has refused to comment on the allegations.

According to the report Lell has released details of a WhatsApp chat which appears to show Ozil apparently flirting with 24-year-old Rickinger while they were both in relationships with other people.

Front page news: The allegations against Ozil made the front page of Bild

Lell posted a stream of risqué messages from what he claims is her phone between Rickinger and someone dubbed Mesut Ozil on his now-deleted Facebook page on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old labelled his now-ex a "snake", accusing her of relationships with other footballers alongside several derogatory hashtags including "relationship killer".

Lell, who now plays for Spanish club Levante, has been described as “completely crazy” by former lover Rickinger.

She claimed he accessed messages without her permission.

Rickinger said: “I deleted everything on my phone. He must have gone himself and backed everything up. “

Gallery: Melanie Rickinger

 

Meanwhile Mandy Capristo, in a relationship with Ozil since 2013, has now deleted all photos of the German international from her Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Capristo won a talent contest aged 11 and competed in the German version of Popstars before joining a group called Monrose who sold three million records in four years.

She was named the “sexiest woman in the world” by readers of German FHM in 2010 and is a judge on an X Factor-style show called Germany searches for a new superstar.

Capristo previously said she did not want to be just a WAG.

She said: “You’d never say to the partner of a tennis player that they’re only this or that, that’s a lack of respect.

“So when people say I’m just a WAG, I don’t care.

“I have too much respect for myself and my own work to even bother thinking about these people.”

Lell began his career with Bayern making 65 appearances over five years with loan spells away at FC Koln.

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Accusations: Lell has made several allegations against Ozil on his Facebook page

In 2010, the defender moved to Hertha BSC before switching to Spain and Levante in 2012.

Ozil moved to north London from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 but has so far failed to reproduce his impressive Real Madrid and Germany form on a regular basis.

In pictures: Mandy Capristo

He is the second Gunners star whose private life has hit the headlines in a matter of months.

Earlier this year Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud offered a public apology to his wife Jennifer after denying allegations of an extra-marital affair.