Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has broken his silence on Saturday’s frustrating 1-0 loss to Newcastle United. The north London outfit were defeated by Anthony Gordon’s controversial second-half goal on Tyneside in a match filled with plenty of contentious refereeing decisions.
The Gunners felt aggrieved that Bruno Guimaraes had not been sent off for an off-the-ball incident with Jorginho before Gordon’s goal was checked by VAR for three possible offences before eventually being allowed to stand. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta then came out firing in his post-match press conference, criticising the refereeing during the game at St. James’ Park.
The north London club then came out backing their manager in a statement, with Odegaard now discussing about the whole situation ahead of this evening’s UEFA Champions League clash against Sevilla. Speaking in the matchday programme, the Norway international said, via the club’s official website: “I’m not used to watching games on TV, I find it hard, and Saturday’s match especially was a hard one to watch and not be involved in.
“I really wanted to be playing of course, and that game was extra frustrating, with everything that happened. We can take positives though, to control a game away to Newcastle is not easy.
“We did a lot of things well, but still didn’t get anything from it. The main thing now is to look at ourselves.
“We can all discuss the different situations we faced, but at the end of the day we just have to focus on what we can control. That’s how we will improve.
“Days like Saturday can also bring everyone at the club closer together too. The players of course, but also the staff and the supporters. When things don’t go your way, or you feel like you have not been treated fairly, you have to stick together even more.
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“We can use that in a good way, make sure we’ve got each other’s backs, improve the areas we need to, then I’m sure we will get better and better throughout the season. We’ve been focussing on tonight’s game ever since the weekend, because it’s the perfect game to bounce back for us.
“Another big night at the Emirates in the Champions League, with a lot at stake in the group as well. We want to qualify as soon as possible, and we all know how vital these home games are in the group stage.
“Everyone will be fired up for this one, to put our disappointment and frustration out of our bodies. We played Sevilla a couple of weeks ago, so we had a chance to see them closely, and although they are struggling a bit in La Liga, they are always competitive in European football.
“They have done so well in Europe in the last few seasons, and they have a new coach now too, so they’ve changed their style a bit and look like they want to play a bit more.”
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
