Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta lashed out over a denied “1000 percent penalty” and questioned the refereeing decisions that contributed to his team’s narrow 1-0 loss to Inter Milan in the Champions League. Despite the defeat, Arteta praised Arsenal’s performance as their “best European display in years” as they struggled to break through Inter’s defense at San Siro.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta voiced his frustration over controversial refereeing decisions after his side suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Inter Milan in a Champions League clash at San Siro. Arteta was incensed after what he described as a “1000 percent penalty” on Mikel Merino was not awarded, despite a close call in Arsenal’s box leading to Inter’s match-winning goal.
Hakan Çalhanoglu converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time after a handball by Merino, a call Arteta strongly questioned. He criticized the decision, arguing that Merino had no time to react as the ball struck his arm unexpectedly.
“I don’t understand [the handball decision],” Arteta remarked post-game. “There’s no danger at all; you can’t react because the ball is very close. But OK. They decide that is a penalty.”
Arteta was further incensed by what he viewed as inconsistent refereeing. Just 17 minutes prior, Merino had been involved in a heated incident on the other side of the pitch, colliding with Inter’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Arteta insisted that Sommer’s contact with Merino warranted a penalty.
“But if that is a penalty, then the one on Mikel Merino where [Sommer] punches him in the head has to be a penalty 1000 percent,” he said. “We were told at the start of the season that wasn’t a penalty. Today it was a different story.”
Despite the setback, Arteta praised his team’s performance, calling it Arsenal’s “best European display” in recent years. After a sluggish start that saw Inter’s Denzel Dumfries hit the crossbar in the opening minutes, Arsenal seized control of the game, dominating possession yet failing to beat Sommer.
The defeat left Arsenal 12th in the Champions League standings and marks their third loss in six games across all competitions. However, Arteta remained optimistic heading into Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Chelsea. “If we play the way we played, we have a good chance to win against Chelsea,” he said defiantly.
Arsenal now faces mounting pressure as they strive to turn their European campaign around and regain momentum in the Premier League.
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