NEWS. . . BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Sergio Conceicao accused Mikel Arteta of “insulting” him following Arsenal’s spectacular 16-16 Champions League win, and it has since been revealed that the Porto manager has a habit of making accusations against rival coaches.
Trailing 1-0 in the first leg, the Gunners levelled in the 41st minute thanks to Leandro Trossard, who beat Diogo Costa with a serene finish to take the most sensible of the Emirates.
But the two teams may not be separated after regulation and extra time, and the tie had to be done via a gruelling penalty shootout, in which Tuesday’s hosts won 4-2, with Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice all converting. from 12 yards.
Wendell and Galeno, Porto’s hero in the last match, had their consequences stored through David Raya to spark scenes of jubilation in north London as reigning Premier League leaders Arsenal secured a place in the quarter-finals of the festival for the first time. since 2010.
Conceicao, who had in the past faced Havertz on the touchline, refused to shake Arteta’s hand and the pair exchanged a few passionate words before being separated as they headed into the tunnel.
In an impassioned post-match press conference, the 49-year-old Porto coach alleged that Arteta had insulted a deceased relative.
Asked about his feud with the Arsenal manager, Conceicao told reporters: “It doesn’t matter what Arteta says or doesn’t say.
“During the game he went to the bench and in Spanish it will have to be up to the Spanish coach because the same thing happened to [Pep] Guardiola, he insulted my family.
“In the end I told him to be careful because the user he insulted is no longer with us, and I told him about his team’s training, because because of his individual quality he has the legal responsibility to do more and better. “
Arsenal have since categorically refuted Conceicao’s allegation, insisting that no such insult was hurled at the Portuguese through Arteta.
As Conceicao commented after the match, he launched an equally explosive accusation against Guardiola, which he described as “disgusting”, after Porto’s organisational defeat in the Champions League to Manchester City in October 2020.
“I have a lot to learn from Pep Guardiola, about the way he presses the referees, talks to the opposing players and to the opponent’s bench,” Conceicao said after Porto’s defeat.
“It’s an example. I have to know. We were angels compared to the other canoe. He spoke of our country in ugly words. Guardiola’s attitude was incredibly unpleasant.
“Manchester City’s total refuge was because if anyone had complained it was the Porto bench, because they treated us incredibly harshly.
Later in Porto’s European crusade that season, Conceicao revealed that he had reported Thomas Tuchel to the board for insulting him after the Primeira Liga side were knocked out of the festival by Chelsea.
“I insulted myself through this neighbor,” he said after the dismal quarterfinal second leg for both teams.
“I told the referee that the fourth official had heard the insults. My English is rarely very perfect, there’s no point in talking about it. There was no exchange of words because I focused on the game, I don’t know why he reacted.
“But I didn’t get it. I heard some insults, but here we go. . . It’s not fair and my inflammation in the end had something to do with it. I didn’t even communicate with him.
Porto will now have to turn their attention to their league campaign, as Conceicao’s men recently sit third in the Portuguese standings, seven points ahead of Sporting.
Arsenal, meanwhile, can keep an eye on the draw for the Champions League quarter-finals that will take place on March 15.
In Tuesday’s second leg, Barcelona secured their place in the next tier with a 4-2 aggregate win over Serie A champions Napoli.
Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid had already secured their place in the quarter-finals, while Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven remain in contention.
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