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Arsenal's Mesut Ozil, Sead Kolasinac welcomed to Azerbaijan by stadium cat

Sead Kolasinaic, left, and Mesut Ozil stroke the Baku Olimpiya Stadionu cat. Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal via Getty Images

Ahead of their Europa League clash with Qarabag, the Arsenal squad had their pregame training session interrupted by a very special visit from one of the Baku Olympic Stadium's most distinguished denizens.

Things quickly ground to a halt when the stadium cat came strolling by to keep an eye on the players as they limbered up.

Sead Kolasinac spotted the feline interloper, and obviously Mesut Ozil wandered over to offer his assistance.

Being a gruff defender, Sokratis Papastathopoulos was less convivial, glaring menacingly at the cat as he walked past like he might a striker he's been tasked with man-marking.

Arsenal will be looking to strengthen their position at the top of Europa League Group E with a victory in Azerbaijan ahead of a tough doubleheader against Sporting Lisbon.