Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has privately messaged Mikel Arteta to de-escalate their recent feud over Arsenal’s tactical gamesmanship while standing firm on his principles regarding fair play.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has reached out to Mikel Arteta to resolve tensions following a heated dispute over Arsenal’s perceived “dark arts.”
Hurzeler had previously criticized the Premier League leaders for excessive timewasting and disruptive set-piece tactics during their 1-0 victory on March 4.
Seeking to clear the air, the German coach confirmed he messaged Arteta to express his admiration for Arsenal’s title-chasing campaign.
Despite the olive branch, Hurzeler maintained his stance on officiating. “I didn’t want to upset anyone, but on the other hand, I stick to my word that I wasn’t happy about some things that day,” he stated.
Arteta, while keeping the conversation private, welcomed the gesture, noting, “I think he’s a fantastic coach. The job that he’s doing at Brighton is really, really good.”