Hard to accept': Arteta hits out at penalty decision during Inter defeat

Mikel Arteta expressed confusion over the referee’s decision to award a controversial penalty to Inter, saying, "We were told at the start of the season that wasn’t a penalty that was clear. But today was a different story." He emphasized how baffling the situation was considering that a clear infringement occurred on Merino prior that went unpunished. He stated, "If that is a penalty then the one on Mikel Merino, when he punches him in the head, has to be 1000% a penalty." This pointed out the inconsistency in officiating and the thin margins that define outcomes in football matches.

Arteta revealed that the decision not only affected their chance for a penalty but the players' performance, saying, "These are the margins in this game so it’s very hard to accept. There’s nothing unfortunately that we can do and we’re not going to be able to change it." This underlined the frustration managers and teams feel when decisions seeming unfair affect the integrity of the game. He added that his team faced significant challenges, as the pressure was compounded by injuries during the match.

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