Mikel Arteta has extended an apology to Chelsea following Liam Rosenior’s allegations of a “lack of respect” from the north London club during warm-ups prior to the Carabao Cup semifinal second leg on Tuesday.
Arsenal secured their place at Wembley with a 1-0 win that resulted in a 4-2 aggregate victory. However, video footage showed Chelsea’s manager Rosenior instructing opposing staff to remain in their half while both teams prepared at the Emirates Stadium.
Rosenior later clarified that Arsenal’s presence was “affecting our warm-up,” and while he holds no personal grievances towards anyone at Arsenal, he felt “that respect was not shown to my team” in that moment.
Addressing the matter on Friday, Arteta stated, “I don’t know; it’s his opinion, and we obviously respect everyone.” He continued, “If any of our staff members unintentionally crossed a line, we apologize. Such scenarios are quite common in football, especially for goalkeepers needing to kick long balls. So, there’s not much more to add.”
Arteta dismissed claims that any psychological tactics were at play before the match, stating, “I have no idea, but I don’t believe it was intentional. I focus on what truly matters for the team and the club.”
The Gunners will host Sunderland on Saturday, looking to increase their lead at the top of the table to nine points. In their last encounter in November, the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
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Arteta mentioned that Martin Ødegaard is expected to return “in a matter of days” following a minor muscular issue sustained against Leeds last weekend, while Jurriën Timber is available for selection.
Additionally, Bukayo Saka‘s hip injury has improved, and he is expected to return “very soon.”