Furious Porto boss accuses Mikel Arteta of insulting his FAMILY as they clashed during and after Arsenal’s tense penalty shootout win in the Champions League… as Sergio Conceicao insists ‘our team deserved to go through’
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Porto head coach Sergio Conceicao has accused Mikel Arteta of insulting his family during Arsenal’s thrilling Champions League victory.
David Raya emerged as Arsenal’s hero as they booked their place in the last eight for the first time since 2010, saving two penalties in a thrilling shoot-out.
But the match was marred by clashes between both sets of players and benches, with rival managers Arteta and Conceicao locked in a heated confrontation after the final whistle.
And Conceicao claims Arteta disrespected his loved ones during the game.
‘The result was unfair. Our team deserved to go through,” said the Porto boss.
‘What Arteta said to the bench in Spanish offended my family. He needs to focus on training his team.”
Arteta declined to comment on the matter after the match.
However, speaking about his side’s win, the Gunners boss said: ‘It was a magical night. It was what we expected against a strong opponent, who was very well organised, said Arteta.
‘We scored a beautiful goal. That is a huge experience for us, we needed penalties and we prepared well for that.
“We found a way, I can see how much they want to win. How much they sacrificed. If you play like that, sooner or later things will go your way.
‘I’ve probably never experienced such an atmosphere in the Emirates, it was amazing from start to finish. Big thanks to them and today I thought they had an impact on the game.
Speaking about the shoot-out, Arteta added: ‘We practice on the training ground, a few of them missed but ultimately you have to do it in the evening.
“It’s a big step for the club, the best part is that we are not satisfied and want to move on to the next round.”
Raya added: “It’s obviously a great feeling for me personally, the first time in the Champions League and for the club to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in so many years.
‘We played a very good match from the start. We dominated, created chances and it ended in penalties. We have worked a lot on penalties this year and all the hard work with the goalkeeping coach and the team has paid off.”
Mikel Arteta has denied Sergio Conceicao’s allegations. Club sources indicate that the Spaniard has not said anything about his rival’s family.
