Champions League: Giroud send-off very harsh, says a riled Wenger
Zagreb stun 10-man Arsenal 2-1 at Maksimir stadium
Wenger criticised Giroud for the show of dissent that led to him being booked in the 24th minute but argued that the second yellow card his striker was shown after a tackle on Pinto was unfair. PHOTO: AFP
PARIS:
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has termed forward Olivier Giroud’s send-off in Wednesday’s Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb “very harsh” after his 10-man team lost the Group F contest at Zagreb’s Maksimir stadium.
Criticised for not being clinical enough in front of goal, Giroud’s frustration got the better of him when he was first booked for dissent after his reaction to the referee giving a foul against him.
He was eventually sent off after a tackle on Dinamo Zagreb’s Ivo Pinto in the 40th minute saw him pick up his second yellow card as Arsenal went on to lose 2-1.
Wenger insisted Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan was harsh in flashing the second yellow card. “The first yellow card was Giroud’s fault because he protested, even if there was no foul against him. After that he should have not protested to the referee,” the 65-year-old Wenger told reporters. “His second yellow card was completely unlucky to touch the guy. I do not understand the referee. It was completely accidental.”
Zagreb took the lead from virtually their first attack of the game as Leonardo Sigali slipped in Josip Pivaric whose shot was saved by David Ospina, only to rebound off Oxlade-Chamberlain and go in.
Dinamo capitalised on 58 minutes as Fernandes headed home a Paulo Machado corner at the near post as Arsenal’s defence went walkabout.
Theo Walcott gave the Gunners hope 11 minutes from time with a cool, low finish from Alexis Sanchez’s pass, but it was too little too late as Dinamo earned their first ever win over an English side.
Enrique frustrated as Roma hold dominant Barca
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique admitted his frustration at Champions League Group E rivals Roma after a solid defensive display earned the Italians a hard-fought point from a thrilling 1-1 draw on Wednesday.
Barely four months after sweeping Juventus aside 3-1 to win the final in Berlin, Barcelona set their sights on beating another Serie A side into submission as they look to become the first side since AC Milan in 1990 to win back-to-back European titles.
But despite a dominant performance throughout, the Catalans were left frustrated as Bayer Leverkusen, 4-1 winners over BATE Borisov, went two points clear at the top of the group.
In what was Lionel Messi’s 100th Champions League appearance, the Argentine was upstaged by Alessandro Florenzi’s stunning leveller for the hosts from just inside the halfway line on 31 minutes. Luis Suarez had headed Barcelona in front 10 minutes earlier.
Enrique, who spent a fruitless season as coach of Roma in the 2011-2012 season, said: “I would have expected us to come up against a more attacking team. Instead, they chose a different approach.”
He added: “I’m satisfied with how we played, we created a lot of chances and when your opponents close up at the back it’s not easy.”
Mourinho hits back over Terry rift claim
Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at Steven Gerrard as the Chelsea manager slammed claims of a rift with his axed captain John Terry.
Mourinho left Terry on the bench for Chelsea’s 4-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in their Champions League opener at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
His decision to drop Terry came just weeks after he hauled off the veteran defender at half-time when Chelsea were beaten at Manchester City.
LA Galaxy midfielder Gerrard claimed Mourinho’s treatment of Terry must be due to a fracturing of their relationship. “There’s certainly a bit of friction behind the scenes because for me, you play John Terry week in, week out, he’s your captain,” Gerrard told BT Sport.
But Mourinho was quick to rubbish that suggestion when quizzed about the former Liverpool star’s comments. “Steven is wrong,” he said. “I like him very much and respect him. I think he feels the same way but he is wrong because we have no problems.”
Chelsea scored twice in the first half with Willian finding the net with a 30-metre free kick after 15 minutes and Oscar scoring from their second penalty with the last kick of the opening 45 minutes.
Diego Costa, who replaced Willian after the Brazilian was injured after 20 minutes, brilliantly volleyed in Chelsea’s third after 58 minutes with Cesc Fabregas finishing off a breakaway for the fourth after 78.
Results
From Wednesday
Leverkusen 4-1 BATE
Roma 1-1 Barca
Zagreb 2-1 Arsenal
Olympiakos 0-3 Bayern
Chelsea 4-0 Maccabi
Dynamo 2-2 Porto
Gent 1-1 Lyon
Valencia 2-3 Zenit
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2015.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has termed forward Olivier Giroud’s send-off in Wednesday’s Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb “very harsh” after his 10-man team lost the Group F contest at Zagreb’s Maksimir stadium.
Criticised for not being clinical enough in front of goal, Giroud’s frustration got the better of him when he was first booked for dissent after his reaction to the referee giving a foul against him.
He was eventually sent off after a tackle on Dinamo Zagreb’s Ivo Pinto in the 40th minute saw him pick up his second yellow card as Arsenal went on to lose 2-1.
Wenger insisted Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan was harsh in flashing the second yellow card. “The first yellow card was Giroud’s fault because he protested, even if there was no foul against him. After that he should have not protested to the referee,” the 65-year-old Wenger told reporters. “His second yellow card was completely unlucky to touch the guy. I do not understand the referee. It was completely accidental.”
Zagreb took the lead from virtually their first attack of the game as Leonardo Sigali slipped in Josip Pivaric whose shot was saved by David Ospina, only to rebound off Oxlade-Chamberlain and go in.
Dinamo capitalised on 58 minutes as Fernandes headed home a Paulo Machado corner at the near post as Arsenal’s defence went walkabout.
Theo Walcott gave the Gunners hope 11 minutes from time with a cool, low finish from Alexis Sanchez’s pass, but it was too little too late as Dinamo earned their first ever win over an English side.
Enrique frustrated as Roma hold dominant Barca
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique admitted his frustration at Champions League Group E rivals Roma after a solid defensive display earned the Italians a hard-fought point from a thrilling 1-1 draw on Wednesday.
Barely four months after sweeping Juventus aside 3-1 to win the final in Berlin, Barcelona set their sights on beating another Serie A side into submission as they look to become the first side since AC Milan in 1990 to win back-to-back European titles.
But despite a dominant performance throughout, the Catalans were left frustrated as Bayer Leverkusen, 4-1 winners over BATE Borisov, went two points clear at the top of the group.
In what was Lionel Messi’s 100th Champions League appearance, the Argentine was upstaged by Alessandro Florenzi’s stunning leveller for the hosts from just inside the halfway line on 31 minutes. Luis Suarez had headed Barcelona in front 10 minutes earlier.
Enrique, who spent a fruitless season as coach of Roma in the 2011-2012 season, said: “I would have expected us to come up against a more attacking team. Instead, they chose a different approach.”
He added: “I’m satisfied with how we played, we created a lot of chances and when your opponents close up at the back it’s not easy.”
Mourinho hits back over Terry rift claim
Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at Steven Gerrard as the Chelsea manager slammed claims of a rift with his axed captain John Terry.
Mourinho left Terry on the bench for Chelsea’s 4-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in their Champions League opener at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
His decision to drop Terry came just weeks after he hauled off the veteran defender at half-time when Chelsea were beaten at Manchester City.
LA Galaxy midfielder Gerrard claimed Mourinho’s treatment of Terry must be due to a fracturing of their relationship. “There’s certainly a bit of friction behind the scenes because for me, you play John Terry week in, week out, he’s your captain,” Gerrard told BT Sport.
But Mourinho was quick to rubbish that suggestion when quizzed about the former Liverpool star’s comments. “Steven is wrong,” he said. “I like him very much and respect him. I think he feels the same way but he is wrong because we have no problems.”
Chelsea scored twice in the first half with Willian finding the net with a 30-metre free kick after 15 minutes and Oscar scoring from their second penalty with the last kick of the opening 45 minutes.
Diego Costa, who replaced Willian after the Brazilian was injured after 20 minutes, brilliantly volleyed in Chelsea’s third after 58 minutes with Cesc Fabregas finishing off a breakaway for the fourth after 78.
Results
From Wednesday
Leverkusen 4-1 BATE
Roma 1-1 Barca
Zagreb 2-1 Arsenal
Olympiakos 0-3 Bayern
Chelsea 4-0 Maccabi
Dynamo 2-2 Porto
Gent 1-1 Lyon
Valencia 2-3 Zenit
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2015.