After beating Tottenham to win the north London derby Sunday 2-0 score, Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was kicked by a Spurs fan immediately after the final whistle. The 24-year-old goalkeeper had a bit of an altercation with Brazil striker Richarlison, and things became more tense when Ramsdale was kicked out of the stands by a fan when he went behind the goal to get a water bottle. As fans returned to the stands, more players became involved and a scuffle ensued.
Ramsdale then spoke out, commenting on the altercation with the supporter, who is likely to face disciplinary action from the club in the coming days.
“The Spurs fans gave me some throughout the game. I’m giving some back,” he told Sky Sports.
“The people I did bring to it greeted it like athletes, but a fan tried to punch me in the back. It’s a shame because it was just a football match at the end of the day. Both sets of players tried to put I took it, but thankfully nothing much happened. It was a sour taste, but I’m sure we’ll enjoy it when we get back to the dressing room.”
Here’s a video of the event:
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also commented on the incident, telling Sky Sports, “All I saw was a beautiful game of football. Aaron made some fantastic saves. He really showed. A different kind of presence. A big credit to him for what he did here today. We’ll take care of that. Aaron is fine.”
CBS Sports has a brand new daily football podcast that covers everything you need to know about this amazing game. Be sure to follow Home of Champions for the biggest matches, stories, Fabrizio Romano transfer news and everything else happening in the world’s most popular sport.
Tottenham manager Antonio Conte says he “didn’t like” what happened to the goalkeeper.
“It’s not good. I repeat, we have to show respect all the time,” he said.
The Professional Footballers’ Association was quick to issue a statement afterwards condemning what had happened.
“Violence against players is totally unacceptable,” they said. “Incidents like this happen all too often. Players have the right to be safe in the workplace. When players are attacked, we want the laws and regulations that protect players to be properly enforced. As the players union, we make this a priority. We will Continue to work with authorities to demand better protection for players and staff in their workplaces.”
Two first-half goals (Hugo Lloris’ own goal and Martin Odegaard’s) were enough to seal Arsenal’s victory at Manchester United on Saturday, giving them an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League. point. Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, continue to struggle and are currently fifth, a game more than Manchester United and five points behind fourth.
