Arsenal boss Arteta fumes over penalty decisions in the Champions League loss to Inter Milan
A furious Mikel Arteta described Arsenal’s 1-0 Champions League defeat against Inter Milan as “very, very difficult to accept” - and said the Gunners should have been awarded a penalty after Mikel Merino was “punched” in the head.
Arsenal fell behind on the stroke of half-time in Milan when Inter were awarded a contentious penalty after Merino was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area.
Merino might count himself unfortunate given he could do little to get out of the way of Mehdi Taremi’s flick-on. Hakan Calhanoglu converted the ensuing spot-kick to send the Gunners to their second defeat in four days.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Earlier in the opening period, Merino had his own penalty claim when Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer delivered an unintentional right hook to his head.
Asked for his reaction to the hosts’ spot-kick, Arteta said: “I don’t understand. There is no danger at all. You cannot react because the ball is very close.
“We were told at the start of the season that wasn’t a penalty. That was clear. Today it was a different story. But OK. They decide that is a penalty.
“But if that is a penalty then the one on Mikel Merino where he punches him in the head has to be a penalty, 1,000 per cent. These are the margins in this game and it’s very, very difficult to accept.
“I am extremely frustrated because these are two decisions that marked the course of the game. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do. We have to accept it and move on.”
The defeat in the San Siro marked Arsenal’s second in a row after their 1-0 loss at Newcastle last weekend which cast them seven points adrift of Premier League table-toppers Liverpool.
