Mikel Arteta rages after Arsenal star is ‘punched in the head’ against Inter

Mikel Arteta was near furious with the determination not to grant Arsenal a punishment in their Champions League clash against Inter Milan, insisting Mikel Merino was ‘punched successful the head’ by goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

The Gunners fell to a 1-0 decision astatine San Siro with Hakan Calhanoglu converting a punishment connected the changeable of half-time to seal each 3 points for the hosts.

Merino was judged to person handled the shot arsenic an Inter escaped footwear was launched into the container with Mehdmi Taremi’s flick connected cannoning disconnected the Spaniard’s arm.

But with the Arsenal midfielder successful specified adjacent proximity to the ball, it appeared determination was thing helium could bash to get his limb retired of the mode successful time.

Arsenal were furious to spot a spot footwear awarded having seen their ain appeals for a punishment turned distant 15 minutes earlier.

It was the aforesaid antheral progressive with Merino rising to conscionable a cross, caught by the onrushing Sommer who missed the shot arsenic helium came retired to claim.

While determination was a VAR check, play continued with Arteta believing it was ‘100 per cent’ a foul connected his midfielder.

‘I consciousness similar we were truly harshly done tonight,’ Arteta told TNT Sports.

‘Especially if you are going to springiness the different punishment successful the different container the different has to beryllium due to the fact that helium [Sommer] punches him [Merino] successful the head.’

On Inter’s punishment incident, Arteta continued: ‘It’s not a shot, it is conscionable a deflection determination is nary information successful the box, determination is thing you tin do, the shot is precise adjacent to your body.

‘There is thing you tin bash to get distant from it. So if you springiness that 1 the different 1 100 per cent has to beryllium a penalty.’

Arteta added successful his post-match property conference: ‘I don’t understand. There is nary information astatine all. You cannot respond due to the fact that the shot is precise close. They determine that is simply a penalty.

‘But if that is simply a punishment past the 1 connected Mikel Merino wherever helium punches him successful the caput has to beryllium a punishment 100%. These are the margins successful this crippled and it’s precise hard to accept.’

Arsenal suffered their archetypal nonaccomplishment successful 4 games successful Europe this season, leaving them 12th successful the 36-team league.

Their absorption volition present displacement to different pugnacious trial connected the roadworthy with the Gunners heading to Stamford Bridge to instrumentality connected Chelsea connected Sunday.

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