Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Omer Toprak: Leverkusen defender will not return to Turkey national team

#INSERT type:image caption:Toprak celebrates a goal for his club Bayer Leverkusen. END#

Bayer Leverkusen defender Omer Toprak has ruled out returning to the Turkey national team in the near future.

Toprak and Leverkusen teammate Hakan Calhanoglu allege that they were threatened with a gun by a friend of fellow international Gokhan Tore in 2013.

In October last year, midfielder Calhanoglu told German television channel ZDF that Tore and the man had gained access to the hotel room he shared with Toprak.

"I was hit and I was lying in a corner," he said. "He then came up to me and said: 'Don't move or I will shoot you.' I was curled up in the corner of the room -- I couldn't move, I was scared for my life."

Calhanoglu is set to return to the national setup after talks with coach Fatih Terim, but Toprak has ruled out a return to the team for as long as Tore is called up.

Speaking to Suddeutsche Zeitung, in quotes reported by kicker, Toprak said: "Tore played with my life and my career.

"When I am on the pitch, I need the trust of all of my teammates. If there is none, it makes no sense."

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