Mesut Ozil takes bite out of baguette thrown at him by Atletico Madrid fans during Europa League clash

During Arsenal's 1-1 draw with the Spaniards in the Europa League semi-final at the Emirates, a member of the raucous away support launched a bread roll at Ozil.

The German playmaker saw it heading his way and caught it on the bounce before taking a bite.

Ozil's actions brought a huge cheer from the away end, as it was both bizarre and entertaining.

Footballers eating items of food thrown at them is a rarity, but it has happened before.

While at Barcelona, Brazilian defender Dani Alves peeled and bit into a banana thrown at him by Villarreal fans in a racist gesture in 2014.

Alves said at the time: "We have suffered this in Spain for some time. You have to take it with a dose of humour."

Two years later, fans of Polish team Lechia Gdansk were enraged when a penalty was given against them in a derby with Pogon Szczecin.

They began to throw objects onto the pitch, in the direction of penalty taker Adam Fraczczak, including a bar of chocolate that the midfielder picked up and bit into.

Like Alves and Fraczczak, Ozil's actions brought humour to the game.

It was met with a huge cheer from the Atletico fans, but not quite as big as the one in the 82nd minute.

Diego Simeone’s team, down to ten men since early in the first half, were under constant attack from Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger’s men sent 28 efforts towards Jan Oblak’s goal but only beat him once, when Alexandre Lacazette’s towering header found the net just after the hour mark.

But they couldn’t get another.

With eight minutes remaining on the clock they were punished by Simeone’s team.

Antoine Griezmann, barely in the game up until that point, latched on to a long ball and muscled his way past Laurent Koscielny before poking the ball into the back of the net.

Arsenal now travel to the Wanda Metropolitano next Thursday needing to score, as Atletico’s away goal gives them the advantage.

With Wenger leaving the club at the end of the season, winning the Europa League would provide a positive ending to his 22-year reign at Arsenal.

Ozil, however, has shown he has the appetite to remain at the Emirates, having signed a contract extension in January.

His new deal, believed to be worth £350,000-a-week, was signed in January and will keep him at the club until 2021.

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