Mikel Arteta was visibly frustrated after Arsenal’s defeat to Inter Milan, calling it “very, very difficult to accept.” He argued his team should have been awarded a penalty after Mikel Merino was hit in the head.
The controversial moment came just before halftime when Inter were granted a penalty following a handball call on Merino, who appeared to have little chance to avoid Mehdi Taremi’s flick. Hakan Calhanoglu converted from the spot, handing Arsenal their second loss in four days.
Earlier in the match, Merino had his own penalty claim when Inter’s goalkeeper, Yann Sommer, unintentionally struck him in the head. Arteta questioned the consistency, stating, “I don’t understand. There’s no danger, and we were told at the start of the season that wasn’t a penalty. Today, it was different. If that’s a penalty, then the one where Mikel Merino gets punched in the head has to be a penalty, 1,000 percent.”
Arteta expressed that these two decisions had a significant impact on the game. “Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do. We just have to accept it and move on.”
The San Siro loss marked Arsenal’s second consecutive defeat, following a 1-0 loss to Newcastle, leaving them seven points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool. Arsenal dominated much of Wednesday’s game but couldn’t break down Inter’s defense, which has yet to concede in the Champions League this season. This leaves Arsenal, who face Chelsea on Sunday, in 12th place in the 36-team league.
Arteta noted, “This is the kind of performance I want from my team. Among the European games we’ve played recently, this was by far the best. If we play like this against Chelsea, we have a good chance. I told the players I’m proud of them. We’re disappointed we didn’t get the result we wanted.”
Missing Declan Rice due to a foot injury sustained against Newcastle, Arsenal also saw captain Martin Odegaard return for a brief appearance after two months out. Kai Havertz, however, left the field following a head clash with Yann Bisseck, making him doubtful for Sunday’s match.
“Kai has a big cut,” Arteta commented. “He needed stitches, but we hope he’ll be fine for the weekend.”
This Champions League defeat was Arsenal’s first of the season, with Calhanoglu’s penalty proving decisive. Once again, Arsenal struggled creatively, failing to score for the second game in a row.
Player Ratings by Simon Collings:
David Raya – 6: Little action in the first half, aside from collecting the ball after the penalty.
Ben White – 6: Returning from an injury, combined with Saka at times and was solid in defense.
William Saliba – 6: Missed a chance from a corner but kept Inter’s forwards in check.
Gabriel – 6: Booked early for a clash with Martinez, posed a threat on set-pieces, and nearly equalized.
Jurrien Timber – 7: Engaged well against Denzel Dumfries and was one of Arsenal’s standout players.
Bukayo Saka – 6: Often double-marked, limiting his space but delivered a great cross in the second half.
Thomas Partey – 6: Returned to midfield but was shaky in possession early on.
Mikel Merino – 5: His penalty claim was dismissed after being struck by Sommer; conceded a penalty for handball before being substituted.
Gabriel Martinelli – 6: Provided some early crosses and was full of energy.
Kai Havertz – 6: Denied by a great Sommer save, later had a shot blocked by Bisseck.
Leandro Trossard – 5: Crucial defensive block early on but lacked impact offensively.
Substitutes:
Gabriel Jesus (Merino 45’) – 7: Injected energy and created a chance for Havertz.
Ethan Nwaneri (Trossard 82’) – N/A
Oleksandr Zinchenko (Timber 82’) – N/A
Martin Odegaard (Havertz 90’) – N/A
Unused Subs: Neto, Setford, Robinson, Myles-Skelly, Kiwior, Jorginho, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji.
