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Inter’s defensive masterclass leaves Arteta fuming about officiating

Last night Inter continued with their remarkable defensive performances in the Champions League, keeping a fourth consecutive clean sheet and defeating Arsenal 1-0. The match’s decisive moment came just before halftime, with Hakan Calhanoglu scoring a penalty to give Simone Inzaghi’s side the victory. Throughout the second half, Inter focused heavily on defence, successfully limiting Arsenal’s chances and frustrating their attacks, as Yann Sommer faced few threats. The Nerazzurri have now faced last season’s Premier League champions, Manchester City, as well as the runner-ups, Arsenal, and managed to keep both sides scoreless.

In his post-match interview, Mikel Arteta voiced his frustrations over the officiating, claiming that his side was “very harshly done” with the decisions. He particularly pointed to two penalty incidents, stating, “For me, Merino’s one is never a penalty. But ok, if that is a penalty then the one on Mikel where Sommer punches him in the head has to be a penalty 1000 percent.” Arteta also highlighted the fine margins that define the outcome of games in the competition, expressing how difficult it was to accept such decisions.

Despite the defeat, Arteta took pride in his team’s performance, stating, “The way we played tonight against Inter, the team can go to Chelsea and win.”



 Author: Paul Kemp

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