Two men threatened to “kill” Arsenal star Mesut Ozil and defile his mother as they confronted his security guards outside of his Platt’s Lane home in Hampstead, a court has heard.
The alleged intimidation happened outside the World Cup winner's £9 million pad shortly after the star was targeted by moped attackers in an unrelated incident.
Salaman Ekinci and Ferhat Ercun deny behaving in a threatening or abusive manner outside the house of the Premier League club's £350,000-per-week midfielder.
Security guard Kemil Sezer told Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Tuesday that he and a colleague had been protecting Ozil, who was inside at the time, for several weeks.
Assisted by a Turkish interpreter, he told the court he first saw two men at around 7.30pm on August 8 last year before they returned around three hours later when it was dark.
He said:"They swore in Turkish, saying 'f*** your mothers, we're going to f*** Mesut's mother and we're going to come back in five minutes and if security don't go from here, we're going to kill Mesut Ozil and kill you'.
"We started chasing them ... we got angry because Mesut Ozil, about two to three weeks prior, was attacked and we feared that the same thing would happen."
Asked by prosecutor Sarah Gabay how he felt, the security guard of 20 years said: "Stressed ... Mesut Ozil is loved by the Turkish people.
"We have that responsibility on us to protect him."
Ekinci and Ercun, both 27, and both of Tottenham, north London, appeared at the trial dressed smartly in dark suits and waistcoats for trial over the alleged incident.
It came around two weeks after Ozil and Arsenal team-mate Sead Kolasinac were ambushed by moped muggers who tried unsuccessfully to steal their £200,000 watches in an unrelated incident.
Ms Gabay said the pair were detained by the guards, who also had protection dogs, after they returned for a third time shortly after midnight before police were called.
She said: "In interview, both defendants denied using the language and said there had been no conversation between them and said they had been attacked by the security guards"
Defending, Johan Grefstad indicated Ercun will say in evidence that he was hit in the head with a baseball bat.
Former soldier Mr Sezer, who is a trained dog protection specialist, replied: "We don't carry baseball bats. I've trained to do my job and I don't need any baseball bats and I don't carry them."
Ozil, 31, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, is of Turkish heritage.
He was not present at the hearing.
Ekinci and Ercundeny are accused of one count of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
The trial was adjourned part-heard by district judge Alison Rose to resume on April 21 at the same court.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here