Sports
Arsenal’s manager, Arteta condemns critics after Arsenal’s victory over Brighton
Mikel Arteta has slammed Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler’s claim that Arsenal “make their own rules” after the Premier League leaders moved a step closer to the title with a 1-0 win at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday.
Bukayo Saka’s deflected strike early in the first half sealed Arsenal’s third successive victory.
The Gunners are seven points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who were held to a surprise 2-2 draw by lowly Nottingham Forest.
Arteta have complete control of the title race as they chase a first English crown since 2004 after three consecutive runners-up finishes.
But if Arsenal do go on to claim the title, it is highly unlikely they will be held in the same regard as Arsene Wenger’s squad 22 years ago.
In contrast to the eye-catching style of the ‘Invincibles’, there is little to love about Arteta’s prosaic team, who have thrived thanks to their set-piece excellence and a supremely well-drilled defence.
Criticism of Arsenal’s ‘ugly’ tactics is growing, and Hurzeler was the latest to join the chorus as he accused the Gunners of time-wasting and faking injuries.
Hurzeler was frustrated by Arsenal’s habit of delaying the restart of the game at free-kicks.
Gunners’ keeper David Raya also went down injured on three separate occasions and required treatment, sparking suggestions he was faking to allow time for tactical discussions between Arteta and his players.
“I think there was only one team that tried to play football today. Did you see in a Premier League game a goalkeeper going down that many times? No?” Hurzeler said.
“They (Arsenal) make their own rules. At the moment, I have the feeling they are doing their own rules.
“I will never be the kind of manager who tries to win in that way.
“If I ask everyone in the room, did he really enjoy this game? I’m sure maybe one raises his arm because he’s a big Arsenal fan.
“Where will this go in the future? Is this what the supporters are paying for?”
Yet Arteta was unrepentant about Arsenal’s game plan, insisting his players deserved praise for grinding out another vital victory.
“What a surprise,” he said when informed of Hurzeler’s claims. “If you go back through previous games, you will find a lot of comments like this, always.
“I love my players. That’s the highlight. I love my players, and I love the way we compete.
“When you’re in the position we are in, obviously, the opposition want to take that away from you. That’s normal; that is sport.”
Arsenal aren’t earning many style points, but Arteta doesn’t care as they remain in contention for the quadruple.
As well as leading the Premier League, the Gunners face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16, meet Manchester City in the League Cup final, and visit Mansfield in the FA Cup fifth round.
Asked whether he cared what other managers thought of him, Arteta replied: “No comment.”
Arsenal qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League, despite playing a goalless draw with Sporting on Wednesday night.
The Gunners had won the first leg 1-0 in Portugal thanks to Kai Havertz’s late winner.
At the Emirates, the chances were far and few as both teams hit the woodwork but failed to score.
Arsenal will now play Atletico Madrid, who eliminated Barcelona.
In the other quarter-final, Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 4-3 at the Allianz Arena.
The Bundesliga champions had won the first leg 1-0 at the Bernabeu.
Bayern Munich will play Paris Saint-Germain for a place in the final.
Football superstar Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association are facing a lawsuit in the United States over allegations of fraud and breach of contract linked to two Argentina exhibition matches held in October.
A Miami-based sports and entertainment company, VID, filed the suit in Florida, claiming it paid about $7 million for exclusive rights to stage Argentina friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico, with the expectation that Messi would feature in both games.
According to the filing, Messi was contractually required to play at least 30 minutes in each match unless he was injured. However, the company alleges he did not take part in either game, instead watching from the stands during at least one of the fixtures.
Reports say Messi attended the match in Miami but did not play, choosing to remain available for his club commitments with Inter Miami the following day. The second fixture against Puerto Rico was also moved from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, a change the promoters say led to significant financial losses, reportedly over $1 million.
VID further claims the AFA had promised compensation through a future friendly match in China in 2026, which never materialised.
The company is now seeking damages, alleging it suffered heavy financial losses due to unmet contractual expectations.
This is not the first time Messi’s absence from promotional matches has triggered legal action, as similar disputes have previously emerged involving ticketing and advertising expectations around his participation.
Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid have qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League.
This follows the completion of the quarter-final second legs on Tuesday.
In the first game, PSG travelled to Liverpool with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.
Although there were no goals in the first half, Ousmane Dembele netted twice after the break as the holders progressed into the final four.
At the Wanda Metropolitano, Atletico qualified for the semi-final despite losing 2-1.
Diego Simeone’s men had won 2-0 at the Nou Camp and at home, Ademola Lookman’s goal proved crucial after Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres levelled the tie on aggregate/
PSG will face the winner of Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid, while Atletico Madrid await the winner of Arsenal vs Sporting.
UCL: Real Madrid, Sporting out as Bayern Munich, Arsenal reach semi-finals
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