Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, apologised for Santi Cazorla’s dive during their 2-0 victory over West Brom at the weekend.
The Gunners were rewarded a penalty in the first half after it appeared Steven Reid had brought down Cazorla, but replays show there was no contact between the defender and the midfielder.
After the game, Arsene Wenger faced the media and said he had spoken to Cazorla about the incident and apologised if it wasn’t in fact a penalty.
The manager spoke to the official Arsenal website: “No [I haven’t reviewed it]. I am sorry if it was not a penalty but I have spoken to Santi and he said he has been touched and lost his balance. Maybe he made more of it, I don’t know. But he told me just after I came to see you [the press], I asked him the question because I knew you would ask me the question”.
After being asked whether contact makes it a sure penalty, the Frenchman replied:
“Not necessarily, no. But it’s a difficult decision, it can go against you, it went for us today. That’s what it is. What I mean is, when he [a player] is touched, he goes down, the referee can give or not give the penalty. Of course [I will speak to Santi if he has not been touched]. I will look at it, don’t worry”.
Although it won’t change anything, it is a nice touch from the Arsenal manager to publically apologise for the incident. Something that some managers don’t do when their players dive.
Alex William Batt
