Arteta Apologises Over Chelsea Warm-Up Dispute

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued an apology to Chelsea following accusations from Blues boss Liam Rosenior that his staff showed disrespect during pre-match warm-ups ahead of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semifinal second leg at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners secured their place at Wembley with a 1-0 victory that sealed a 4-2 aggregate triumph. However, video footage later surfaced showing Rosenior instructing Arsenal personnel to remain in their designated half during final preparations.

Chelsea Boss Cites Lack of Respect

Rosenior subsequently clarified his frustration, explaining that Arsenal’s presence “were affecting our warm-up.” While the Chelsea manager emphasized he holds no personal grievances—stating “I don’t have an issue with anyone at Arsenal [or] Mikel [Arteta]”—he maintained that “in that moment, I didn’t think that respect was shown to my team.”

Addressing the controversy during Friday’s press conference, Arteta acknowledged the complaint while characterizing the situation as routine. “I don’t know, it’s his opinion and obviously we respect everybody,” the Arsenal boss said. “At any point, if one of the staff members went through that, we apologise and that’s it.”

He attributed the encroachment to standard goalkeeper routines, noting “it’s very common in football, especially with the keepers because they have to kick long balls and all that.”

No Mind Games, Says Arsenal Boss

Arteta firmly rejected suggestions of deliberate psychological tactics, insisting “I don’t think that was intentional.” He added that his focus remains solely on matters affecting team performance: “I will engage with the things that in my opinion are relevant to the team and what is best for the team and the club.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal prepare to extend their Premier League advantage when they host Sunderland on Saturday, with an opportunity to establish a nine-point cushion atop the table. The Black Cats earned a 2-2 draw in November’s meeting between the sides.

Injury updates provided cautious optimism. Martin Ødegaard will return “in a matter of days” following a minor muscular issue sustained against Leeds, while Bukayo Saka’s hip problem is “much better and hopefully very soon he will be back with us.” Jurriën Timber has been cleared for selection.