Emery Addresses Post-Match Handshake Incident After Villa’s Defeat to Arsenal

LONDON — Unai Emery has refuted claims of having snubbed Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta following the conclusion of Aston Villa’s match against the Premier League leaders at the Emirates Stadium.

Villa’s impressive 11-game winning streak came to an end with a decisive 4-1 loss to Arsenal, who dominated the second half with four goals from Gabriel Magalhães, Martín Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus. Although Ollie Watkins managed to score a consolation goal in added time, the outcome had already been determined.

The controversy arose shortly after the match, when Emery was observed hastily proceeding down the tunnel without the customary handshake with Arteta. In a post-match news conference, Emery clarified, “Yes, but it’s simple. You can watch. After [the match], my routine is quick; I shake hands and then go with my coaches and players or head to the dressing room. I was waiting; I saw that he was happy with his coaches, so I decided to go inside. For me, no problem. I can’t wait; it was cold,” he added when questioned by Sky Sports.

While Arteta was noted to be waiting for Emery at the touchline, he dismissed the lack of handshake, stating, “No, that’s OK. That’s part of the game; not an issue at all.”

Notably, Emery had also not shaken hands with Arteta following his side’s victory over Arsenal back in December 2023.

The defeat at the Emirates leaves Aston Villa in third place, six points behind leaders Arsenal. Despite the loss, Emery expressed optimism regarding his team’s first-half performance, which he believed was strong. He noted, “Football is like that. We competed fantastically in the first half, gaining momentum and creating chances. We defended solidly, not conceding any corners.”

Emery acknowledged the challenges faced in the second half, stating, “We conceded the first goal, then the second, and the injury to [Amadou] Onana may have also affected us. He is vital for our set pieces and in the midfield. Nonetheless, we did not give up; we continued to compete and scored a goal, with another chance that we nearly converted.”

Aston Villa will be back in action on Saturday when they host Nottingham Forest at Villa Park.