Ozil and Gundogan continue to be booed by Germany fans

Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan have come under fire for their public support of Turkey’s president Recep Erdogan.

Gundogan and fellow Premier League star Mesut Ozil were both heckled during Die Mannschaft’s 2-1 friendly defeat by Austria on Saturday as well as during their final friendly tonight against Saudi Arabia whom they defeated 2-1.

Germany’s supporters have been urged to stop jeering Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

The pair remain under fire from sections of the German support after they were pictured meeting controversial Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month.

Political relations between Germany and Turkey have become increasingly strained in recent times, a situation exacerbated when German journalist Deniz Yucel was held in an Istanbul prison without charge for a year after being accused of spreading terrorist propaganda.

Gundogan and Ozil, both of Turkish descent, met with Erdogan at London’s Turkish embassy in May, with Gundogan presenting the leader with a City shirt bearing the words: “To my president, with my respects.”

Angela Merkel, the German president, was among those to criticise the duo last month but Germany legend Oliver Bierhoff has now urged the public to move on.

“Sure, things took the wrong direction a bit. But we are now looking ahead. And that’s why I hope that everyone, even though maybe still annoyed, withholds their anger a bit.”

After the loss to Austria Gundogan admitted he has been affected by the negativity surrounding him.

“It’s still not over. You could all hear the whistles at us in the last match,” Gundogan said. “It’s never nice. Not for me, not for my teammates. It’s not an easy situation to cope with.”