• Premier League

Wenger 'provoked' by Mourinho before push

ESPN staff
October 12, 2014
Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger squared up to each other at Stamford Bridge © Getty Images
Enlarge

Arsene Wenger says he was provoked by Jose Mourinho before he pushed him in their touchline confrontation at Stamford Bridge last weekend.

Wenger confronted Mourinho in the technical area after a foul on Alexis Sanchez by Gary Cahill midway through the first half of Chelsea's 2-0 win against Arsenal.

He later accepted that he had given the Chelsea manager "a little push," but defended his actions.

"They gave too much importance to this story," Wenger told French TV channel TF1. "In hindsight, I think I should not have reacted at all - it's not a way to behave on a football field.

"I always regret any signs of violence and I apologise, but that's a part of games where everything is manic. And then we have quite a substantial past. Did Mourinho provoke me? That is how I felt. I did not enter Chelsea's technical area."

The managers had to be separated by fourth official Jon Moss before they were called over by referee Martin Atkinson, who warned that any further transgressions would see them sent to the stands.

Mourinho said he had "no words to explain what everybody saw in those images".

But former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier last week told RMC he sympathised with Wenger and believed the British media had blown the incident out of proportion.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
ESPN staff Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices