Arsenal’s Martinelli Apologizes for Pushing Injured Liverpool Player
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli has issued an apology for his actions during Thursday’s 0-0 draw against Liverpool, where he attempted to push injured defender Conor Bradley off the pitch.
The incident occurred in stoppage time when Bradley, while chasing the ball, fell awkwardly near the touchline and clutched his knee in pain.
In an effort to keep the game moving, Martinelli dropped the ball on him and shoved him in the back, which led to a scuffle between the two teams. Both Martinelli and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate received yellow cards for their roles in the confrontation.
After receiving medical attention, Bradley was taken off on a stretcher, later seen leaving the Emirates Stadium on crutches with a knee brace.
Former Manchester United players Gary Neville and Roy Keane criticized Martinelli’s actions, with Neville calling them “absolutely disgraceful” and labeling the Arsenal player an “idiot.”
Following the match, Martinelli took to social media to apologize, stating he didn’t realize how serious Bradley’s injury was in the heat of the moment. He expressed his regret and wished Bradley a speedy recovery.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot defended Martinelli, pointing to the larger issue of time-wasting in football. He suggested that it may have influenced Martinelli’s reaction, noting that players often fake injuries at the end of games.
“It’s tough to expect him to think clearly in the 94th minute,” said Slot, who is worried about the seriousness of Bradley’s injury but believes Martinelli would have acted differently had he known.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described Martinelli as a “lovely guy” and echoed Slot’s sentiments, emphasizing that there was no malicious intent behind Martinelli’s actions.
Teammate Dominik Szoboszlai added that Bradley was in such pain that he didn’t even want to return to the game, stressing that player safety should come before the desire to win. -BBC
