Mikel Arteta has issued an apology to Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior following accusations of disrespect from Arsenal.
Rosenior criticized Arsenal for entering the Chelsea warm-up area during their Carabao Cup semi-final this week, expressing his discontent towards the Arsenal staff.
“I can’t speak for him, but we respect everyone’s views,” Arteta stated ahead of the upcoming match against Sunderland.
“If any of our staff crossed the line, we apologize. It’s common in football, especially for goalkeepers who need space to practice kicking.”
Rosenior noted that Arsenal breached some unwritten rules by intruding on Chelsea’s warm-up space at the Emirates.
“It wasn’t about the players,” Rosenior explained. “When teams warm up, each has their own area. I never instruct my team to invade the opponent’s space. I felt what they were doing was affecting our preparations.
“I asked them—perhaps not in the best way—to remain in their designated area. I’m not trying to play mind games, I simply believe this is about respect. I hope we can all honor that.”
“There are certain protocols in football. I don’t hold any grievances against Arsenal. I have great respect for Mikel Arteta. However, at that moment, I felt my team wasn’t treated with the respect they deserve.”
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