Brighton Manager Fabian Hürzeler Hit back at Mikel Arteta
Source: http://www.richportaltv.com
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler expressed his frustration following Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s comments on a controversial penalty decision during their recent Premier League clash. The incident occurred in the second half when Brighton were awarded a penalty after a challenge in the box. Arteta had dismissed the decision as “soft,” claiming it was not sufficient contact to warrant a penalty.
Hürzeler, however, was adamant that the referee made the correct call. Speaking to the media post-match, he said: “I don’t understand how they can say that. It’s a clear penalty. The rules are there for a reason, and the player clearly impeded our forward. If you look at the footage, there’s no debate. It’s not about opinions; it’s about facts, and the fact is that it was a foul.”
The Brighton boss went on to defend his team, emphasizing that they played with integrity and deserved the result. “We are a team that works hard for everything we get. Decisions like this are part of the game, and today it was fair. It’s frustrating to hear people try to minimize our performance by questioning legitimate calls.”
The penalty, calmly converted by Brighton’s star forward, proved decisive in securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Arsenal. Hürzeler acknowledged the tight nature of the game but reiterated that his team’s effort deserved recognition rather than controversy.
“It was a tough game, and Arsenal are a top team. But we were prepared, and we took our chances. I think the focus should be on the quality of football and the fight both teams showed rather than these unnecessary disputes about the referee’s decisions,” he added.
Brighton’s win marks an important step in their push for European football, with Hürzeler’s side showing they can compete against the league’s best.