We respect everybody - Arteta apologises to Chelsea

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued an apology to Chelsea and head coach Liam Rosenior following a brief confrontation that took place before the Gunners’ 1-0 victory in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Tuesday, February 3.

Although Arsenal secured their place in the final with a narrow win at the Emirates Stadium, attention has since shifted to an incident that occurred during the pre-match warm-up.

Chelsea manager Rosenior was reportedly unhappy with Arsenal players and staff crossing the halfway line, leading to a heated exchange on the touchline.

Speaking to the media ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League encounter against Sunderland on Saturday, Arteta played down the situation and offered an apology on behalf of his staff.

“I don’t know, it’s his opinion and obviously we respect everybody. At any point, if one of the staff members went through that, we apologise, and that’s it,” Arteta said.

The Spanish tactician insisted the matter was minor and not uncommon in football, particularly during warm-up routines.

He added, “It’s very common in football, especially with the goalkeepers, because they have to kick long balls and all that. So nothing there to comment.”

Arsenal went on to secure the win thanks to a late goal, completing a successful semi-final tie and progressing to the League Cup final, while Chelsea were left to reflect on their exit from the competition.