 "Arsenal's Leandro Trossard reacts after receiving a red card against Manchester City. Reuters")
The just-concluded weekend witnessed quite a few potentially title-deciding encounters and outcomes across domestic European leagues. Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw at Manchester City, whereas AC Milan prevailed over arch-rivals Inter in the Milan derby. There were quite a few moments that raised eyebrows, so let’s get straight into the talking points from the weekend’s footballing action:
Refereeing controversy hits City vs Arsenal
The much-anticipated Manchester City vs Arsenal match in the Premier League was marred by a refereeing controversy. Arsenal were leading 2-1 just before half-time following goals from Ricardo Calafliori and Gabriel, but controversy erupted just before the whistle.
Gunners forward Leandro Trossard was already on a yellow card for committing a foul on Savinho in the 34th minute. Eight minutes into first-half injury time, Trossard fouled Bernardo Silva, and the former kicked the ball away with full aggression after referee Michael Oliver had blown the whistle, a gesture which forced the referee to hand a second yellow to the Belgian.
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Earlier in the match, City’s Jeremy Doku escaped punishment for a similar incident, and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was not a happy man. “It’s already the second time it has happened in five games, which is really, really worrying if we want to see the best Premier League,” he said referring to Declan Rice’s send-off against Brighton on 31 August for something similar.
The match, however, would also be remembered for Arsenal holding City to a draw away from home despite having just 10-man and getting under the skin of the defending champions in a tense game.
City’s frustration was clear from what Silva said after the match.
“There was only one team that came to play football,” Silva told TNT Brazil. “The other came to play to the limits of what was possible to do and allowed by the referee, unfortunately. But at the end we got a draw, the best we could get considering the context of the last moments of the match. We’re not happy as we wanted the three points, but personally I’m happy with the way we came to play and faced the game. I’m glad we always enter the pitch to try to win every match.”
Rodri suffers injury blow
Manchester City were handed an injury blow after midfielder Rodri limped off the field in the first half. It hasn’t been confirmed what the nature of the injury is or the extent of it, and Guardiola feels that he must have felt something. “Rodri is strong, but he left the pitch, so for Rodri to do that, he must have felt something,” he said after the match.
Just seconds into the game, Rodri and Kai Havertz collided against each other, with Havertz seemingly raising an elbow at Rodri.
The German, however, escaped punishment despite seemingly committing a foul.
Ter Stegen injury
Barcelona have suffered a serious injury blow after their goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen sustained a knee injury during the La Liga match against Villarreal. The injury could reportedly leave ter Stegen out of action for seven to nine months, which will effectively rule him out for the rest of the season.
The Catalan club has confirmed that ter Stegen, who fell awkwardly while making a save, has sustained a “complete rupture” in the patella tendon on his right knee.
AS Roma CEO resigns after de Rossi sacking
AS Roma CEO Lina Souloukou resigned from her post on Sunday following the controversial sacking of manager Danielle de Rossi last week. De Rossi’s sacking, after Roma endured a winless run in the first four Serie A matches, was followed by protest from the club’s fans at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Sunday. Roma beat Udinese 3-0 to clinch the first win of the season.
Milan end derby drought
AC Milan secured a 2-1 win over their rivals Inter Milan in the Milan derby on Sunday night, thus ending a two-year winless run. Christian Pulisic and Gabbia scored for AC Milan at either end of the match. Pulisic scored the opening goal in the 10th minute, only for Federico Dimarco to equalise for Inter in the 27th minute.
At a time when it seemed like the match would end 1-1, Matteo Gabbia scored a powerful header in the 89th minute off a free-kick. Milan had last beaten Inter 3-2 in the Serie A on 3 September 2022.