Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Frustrated Wenger hits out

18 Sep 2008 - 07:38:11

Click To Enlarge

Arsene Wenger slammed the Spanish referee in charge of his side's Champions League opener after Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw against Dynamo Kyiv.

The Gunners needed a late William Gallas equaliser to earn a point after Bacary Sagna was penalised and Ismael Bangoura had converted a penalty.

However, Wenger was furious that referee Luis Medina Cantalejo failed to play the full three minutes of stoppage time and also criticised the official after Theo Walcott was "destroyed" by the Kyiv defence.

"It was important to at least come back from Ukraine with a point, even if it should have been three," he said.

"The game is a mixture of frustration and relief.

"The game should be over at half-time because we had clear chances in the first half, but it is a relief because with three minutes to go we were 1-0 down.

"I wanted to understand how we had only three minutes of injury time, and then only played one minute.

"Every referee looks to have a different computer to calculate the in time and still I do not know and really understand how it works.

"It looks like it is through the inspiration of the referee and he could not explain it. He just said it was enough."