March 13, (THEWILL)- Arsenal’s 14-year wait to advance to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night was overshadowed by an altercation between managers Mikel Arteta and Sergio Conceicao.
The tie had been a heated affair throughout, with both coaches receiving yellow cards during the game. Tensions boiled over at full-time when Arteta approached Conceicao to shake hands, only for the Porto boss to react angrily. The pair had to be separated by staff as they traded words in the middle of the pitch.
In his post-match press conference, Conceicao alleged that Arteta had insulted a member of his family in Spanish during the confrontation. “He used an unacceptable phrase about my family”, the Portuguese coach stated. Arteta declined to comment on the incident when initially asked by reporters.
It continues a pattern of Conceicao clashing with English Premier League managers in Europe. After a 2020 group stage defeat to Manchester City, he accused Pep Guardiola of using “ugly words” and showing an “extremely unpleasant attitude.”
For Arsenal, the night was one of jubilation after the penalty shootout victory thanks to goalkeeper David Raya’s heroics in the shootout. “It’s a huge experience for us”, said Arteta. “Credit to David, who stood up and got rewarded.”
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
