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Porto manager Sergio Conceicao accused Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta of insulting his family during their Champions League last-16 tie at the Emirates.
Arsenal advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years after goalkeeper David Raya saved two penalties in a nervy shoot-out win over the Portuguese side, but Arteta’s celebrations were interrupted as the managers clashed in the middle of the pitch.
Emotions had been running high during the contest, with both Arteta and Conceicao booked by the French referee Clement Turpin in separate incidents while they were on the touchline. Conceicao was also involved in an incident with Arsenal forward Kai Havertz, who shoved the Portuguese coach when the ball drifted out of play.
Tensions were high between Porto manager Sergio Conceicao and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta
(Action Images via Reuters)
The tension then spilled over following the penalty shoot-out and after Raya saved the decisive spot-kick from Porto forward Galeno. Arteta attempted to shake Conceicao’s hand but the Porto manager reacted and the two men had to be pulled apart. Arteta was left shaking his head as he walked away.
Arsenal sources strongly deny that Arteta insulted Conceicao’s family or used derogatory language towards him.
Arteta refused to comment on the exchange when asked about the incident towards the end of his post-match press conference, before Conceicao alleged that the Arsenal manager used an insulting phrase, in Spanish, about a member of Conceicao’s family.
Speaking in Portuguese, with his quotes translated through an interpreter, Conceicao said: “During the game and towards the bench he, in Spanish, insulted my family.
“And then at the end, I said attention, who he insults is not between us. He should focus on training his team because they have a lot of individual qualities to do that.”
It is not the first time Conceicao has clashed with a Premier League manager. After a group stage game in 2020, the Porto boss accused Pep Guardiola of using“ugly words” and showing an “extremely unpleasant attitude” after a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad.
Conceicao accused Arteta of insulting his family
(Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Arteta hailed a “magic” night as Arsenal booked their place in Friday’s quarter-final draw, where they will play their first match in the last-eight of the Champions League for the first time since 2010.
The Spaniard had called on the Arsenal fans to “bring your noise” and the Emirates erupted when Raya saved the decisive penalty to send Arsenal through. The Premier League leaders had lost the first leg 1-0 in Portugal but equalised in the tie through Leandro Trossard towards the end of the first half.
“We expected a really tough opponent. It’s very difficult to generate momentum and that’s credit to Porto,” Arteta said.
“It’s a huge experience for us. We had to do it as well through penalties. Credit to David (Raya) who had some difficult moments to start but showed incredible determination and stood up and got rewarded.”
