Arsenal Football Club News

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

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Van Persie claims Ade stamp

13 Sep 2009 - 10:49:01

Click To Enlarge

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has accused former team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor of a "mindless and malicious stamp" on him during the Gunners' 4-2 at Manchester City on Saturday.

Adebayor, who swapped the Emirates Stadium for Eastlands in a £25million deal during the summer, left van Persie with a facial wound after he appeared to catch the Dutchman with a high boot during the second half of the match.

In a statement, van Persie said: "I am sad and disappointed by my former team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor's mindless and malicious stamp on me during Saturday's match.

"We are both professional footballers and I know that the game is physical, I too have made hard and sometimes mis-timed challenges but never with the intention of hurting an opponent. He set out to hurt me today."

Abebayor had already courted controversy in the match after running the full length of the pitch to celebrate scoring City's goal in front of the Arsenal fans.

Van Persie's damning statement added: "I knew he was aiming for a collision because he changed the angle of his body to allow contact to be made.

"He moved backwards when his natural momentum would have taken him forward. I find that deeply disrespectful. He has shown a real lack of class today, to me and the fans.

"I do feel lucky that I have not suffered a greater injury. The contact was only centimetres from my eye. I have not received an apology from him, there were no words exchanged afterwards.

"He had his own agenda today and that is bad for football. It's bad for the game we all love.

"I want to make it clear that this has nothing to do with the result of today's match. We do not hide from that disappointment but I need to speak out about his behaviour."