Martinelli issues apology following late incident against Liverpool
Gabriel Martinelli has apologised after a late incident involving Liverpool defender Conor Bradley during Arsenal’s goalless Premier League draw with Liverpool became the defining moment of an otherwise tense contest.
The Arsenal winger addressed the situation on social media following the match, saying he had reached out to Bradley directly and expressing regret over his reaction during stoppage time.
The controversy arose as Arsenal pressed for a winning goal in the closing moments at the Emirates Stadium. Bradley went down while challenging for the ball and remained on the turf holding his knee, prompting a pause in play.
Martinelli, believing the delay was tactical rather than injury-related, attempted to restart the game by retrieving the ball and gesturing for play to continue. His actions triggered an immediate confrontation, with Liverpool players intervening before the referee stepped in. Martinelli was later shown a yellow card.
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Bradley was unable to continue and was stretchered off, with Joe Gomez brought on as a replacement, leaving Liverpool awaiting further assessment of the defender’s condition.
The episode quickly became the main talking point of the broadcast coverage. Pundits on Sky Sports criticised Martinelli’s conduct, describing it as unacceptable given the circumstances and the visible distress of the injured player.
Later that evening, Martinelli posted a statement on Instagram confirming he had apologised to Bradley privately.
“Conor and I have messaged and I’ve already apologised to him,” he wrote. “I really didn’t understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment. I want to say I’m deeply sorry for reacting and wish him a quick recovery.”
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot took a measured view when asked about the incident after the match, suggesting there was no intent to cause harm.
“I am 100% sure that if he knew what the injury might be, then he would never do that,” Slot said, according to the BBC, adding that high-pressure situations late in matches can lead to misjudgements.
The match ended scoreless, leaving Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table after a fixture that ultimately drew more attention for its controversial finale than for the football itself.
Sources: Sky Sports, BBC
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