Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports
Topics: Mikel Arteta, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Champions League, Football
Nasir Jabbar
Topics: Mikel Arteta, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Champions League, Football
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal were 'harshly done' following their crushing 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League.
Hakan Calhanoglu scored the game's only goal in Wednesday's Champions League tie as he converted a penalty in first-half injury time to hand his side all three points.
Inter were awarded the penalty after Mikel Merino handled the ball inside the box from extremely close range.
In turn, the Arsenal camp felt Merino should have been awarded a penalty when Yann Sommer clattered into him.
However, the match referee waved away Arsenal's appeal to the frustration of Arteta, who fumed over the decision not to give his team a spot-kick.
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"I feel like we were very harshly done tonight," he told TNT Sports. Asked in what sense, he replied: "In the sense that it is obvious.
"Especially if you’re going to give a penalty in the other box because he [Sommer] punches him [Merino] in the head."
On the decision to penalise Merino for handball, Arteta added: "I cannot see, it’s not a shot. It’s just a deflection. There is no danger in the box. There’s nothing you can do, the ball is very, very close to your body.
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"I don’t know how you can get away with it. Especially if you’re going to give that one, the other one then 100% has to be a penalty."
He continued "With the manner of situation, chances that we generated, we should have scored a couple of goals at least and that’s on us.
"The way the team played, that was us tonight. Level of energy, level of quality, how we arrive in the box, how we dominated a team that’s one of the best in Europe. In their stadium, very proud.
"It was decided in the boxes which is the Champions League and every decision in the box makes a difference, it’s clear."
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Arsenal, who have seven points on the board, occupy seventh place in the Champions League standings.
The Gunners resume their Premier League campaign on Sunday when they travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.