90min

Mikel Arteta blasts penalty decisions in Arsenal's Champions League loss to Inter

  • Arsenal lost 1-0 to Inter in the Champions League on Wednesday
  • Hakan Calhanoglu's match-winning penalty was awarded for a controversial handball
  • Mikel Arteta argued that Arsenal should have "1000%" had a spot kick of their own

By Grey Whitebloom

Mikel Arteta was not impressed with the refereeing decisions in Arsenal's Champions League tie with Inter
Mikel Arteta was not impressed with the refereeing decisions in Arsenal's Champions League tie with Inter / Image Photo Agency/GettyImages
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Mikel Arteta made it abundantly clear that he strongly disagreed with the two penalty decisions that went against his Arsenal side during a 1-0 Champions League loss to Inter on Wednesday.

The Gunners had weathered an early storm at San Siro, fighting their way into a cagey contest. As half-time approached with the game still goalless, Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino rose to meet a cross swung into the box. The European champion got his head to the ball before Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer hurtled into view, landing a gloved fist on the side of Merino's face.

The on-pitch referee waved away the incident, a decision which VAR agreed with. A matter of minutes later, Merino fell on the wrong side of the officials again, inadvertently blocking the ball with his raised arm while defending an Inter set piece. This time, the referee did point to the spot - much to Arteta's frustration.

"I don't understand," Arsenal's troubled boss told the assembled press post-game. "It's just a deflection, there is no danger at all, you cannot react because you are very close but OK, they decide that is a penalty.

"But then if that's a penalty then the one on Mikel Merino when he punches him in the head has to be 1000% a penalty and these are the margins in this game and it's very very difficult to accept."

Hakan Calhanoglu ruthlessly dispatched the spot kick, which proved to be the only goal in a tight game.

"There's nothing unfortunately that we can do, we are not going to be able to change it so, unfortunately, we have to accept it and move on," Arteta lamented. "We were told at the start of the season that wasn't a penalty, that was clear. Today was a different story."

Those controversial calls led to Arsenal's second successive defeat after losing 1-0 to Newcastle United last Saturday. The Gunners face a daunting trip to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

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