Gabriel Martinelli: Christian Norgaard deserved red card, challenge ‘could have broken my leg'
Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli believes Christian Norgaard should have been sent off for a 'nasty' tackle on Saturday, but Brentford's captain says there was 'no evil intention' in the challenge.
The tackle came 28 minutes into Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Brentford, near the halfway line. As Martinelli tried to get around Norgaard on the touchline, the Brentford midfielder caught the winger with his right leg before wrapping around his left.
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Norgaard was booked by referee Simon Hooper, but on the decision, Martinelli told Sky Sports: 'I didn't see that (the tackle) again but in my opinion, if my foot was on the floor he could have broken my leg.
'He said he didn't mean it, and I believe him, but he still could have broken my leg. For me, it was a red. I need to see it again to be sure but for me it was nasty.'
Speaking in the mixed zone post-match, Norgaard said: 'He did (accept my apology). He shook my hand. Of course he maybe thought the tackle was harder than I did but he was fine. The same with (Declan) Rice as well. He said 'it's football' and you try to make these tackles to stop the transitions.
'There was no evil intention in the tackle but looking back at it it was probably a bit harder than I wanted it to be.
'I would never do that intentionally. Sometimes you end up in situations like I did with (Jordan) Pickford when I got a straight red card (which was overturned on appeal) but it was never intentional.'
In his post-match press conference Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who aired his frustrations to the fourth official immediately after the challenger, said: 'I think my reaction tells everything.'
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank said: 'That is his (Martinelli's) opinion. I thought it was a strong yellow. That was a yellow.'
Martinelli was able to finish the game, but Arsenal suffered some minor knocks before and during the game. Thomas Partey, who opened the scoring, came off with an issue that Arteta has not had diagnosed by doctors yet, while Ben White missed the game with a knock picked up in training, and Jorginho was forced off late on.
'We don't know (if White will be ready for Real Madrid),' Arteta added. 'He could not be in condition to be in the squad today and be selected. So we have a few days but we'll have to wait and see.
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'It looks like (Jorginho was a rib issue), I don't exactly know. But yeah, the problem was his breathing, so he could not carry on.'
Arsenal's next game is their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday, April 16 — they lead 3-0 on aggregate.
Brentford next play Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, April 19.
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