CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
What did Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola reportedly say to Porto coach Sergio Conceição?
The Portuguese took aim at the Arsenal and Manchester City managers after Tuesday’s Champions League game, in which he had a heated exchange with Arteta.
The most dramatic of this year’s Champions League round-of-16 ties (so far) saw Arsenal knock Porto out in a penalty shootout at the Emirates after the teams couldn’t be separated after 180 minutes. However, The Gunners’ victory was somewhat overshadowed by a spat between opposing managers Mikel Arteta and Sergio Conceição, with the Portuguese pointing an accusing finger at both the Spaniard and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in his post-match press conference.
What happened between Conceição, Havertz and Arteta?
Tuesday’s match in London was a tense affair, with Porto proving tough opponents for the Premier League leaders to play against as they attempted to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit. Late in the game, Conceição was involved in a touchline incident with Arsenal midfielder Kai Havertz, who pushed the 49-year-old after running off the field as he attempted to control the ball. The German was only warned by match official Clément Turpin, but the drama was far from over.
After David Raya had saved two Porto penalties to seal the hosts’ place in the quarter-finals, Conceição and Arteta had a heated exchange on the field, which the Portuguese discussed in his post-match press conference.
Arsenal deny Arteta insulted Conceição’s family
“What Arteta did or didn’t say…during the match he turned towards the bench, it must be a thing Spanish coaches do because it was the same with Guardiola, and he insulted my family in Spanish.
“At the end, I told him to be careful, the person he insulted is no longer with us, and I told him to worry about coaching his team because they have a lot of individual quality and he must do more and be better.”
Arteta refused to comment on the claims, although Arsenal have strongly denied Conceição’s version of events.
Guardiola’s “extremely unpleasant” behaviour and “ugly word”
The Porto manager’s words also brought City coach Guardiola into the firing line. The two teams played each other in the group stage of the 2020-21 Champions League, when Arteta was still his compatriot’s assistant. After a 3-1 win for the English side in Manchester, Conceição was less than complimentary about the Spanish duo’s behaviour on the touchline, with his sarcasm fooling nobody.
“I’ve got a lot to learn from Pep Guardiola, in the way he pressures referees, talks to opposition players and the opposition dugout. He’s a fantastic example. I have to learn this. We were angels compared to the other dugout.
“He spoke about our country using ugly words. Guardiola’s attitude was extremely unpleasant. The whole Manchester City dugout was because if anybody should have been complaining, it was the Porto bench, because we were extremely hard done by.”
Arsenal progress to Champions League quarter-finals: when is the draw?
Despite putting up a much better fight against in-form Arsenal than many had expected, Porto face an uphill battle to qualify for next year’s Champions League as they are seven points behind leaders Sporting and six adrift of Benfica in their domestic league.
Third place would only be good enough for a place in the Europe League qualifying round.
Arsenal, meanwhile, join holders City in the quarter-finals, as well as Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. The draw for the last eight takes place on Friday 15 March.