Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta found himself in a potentially precarious situation after seemingly ridiculing the referee during the draw against Atalanta.
In their first match of the revamped Champions League season, Arsenal played to a 0-0 tie with the Europa League champions. The Gunners might have lost if not for goalkeeper David Raya’s remarkable double save after Thomas Partey conceded a penalty. In the 50th minute, Raya correctly anticipated Mateo Retegui’s shot and then quickly recovered to block the rebound header.
As is typical, Arteta was animated on the sideline and managed to escape repercussions for his actions in the 62nd minute. Following a foul called against his team from a corner, he expressed his discontent by mimicking referee Clement Turpin with a whistling gesture. Videos shared on social media showed Arteta saying “Like this” twice, suggesting he believed Turpin was poised to penalize his team.
Despite running over to the fourth official, Arteta faced no disciplinary action. While his team didn’t perform at their peak at Gewiss Stadium, he was satisfied with the point and praised Raya for his vital contributions.
“If you can’t win, you have to take the point,” Arteta noted. “We started well, but then lost control and were inconsistent. The game was open, but we didn’t face significant defensive issues, aside from the penalty. David Raya made one of the best saves I’ve ever seen.”
