Gabriel Martinelli Issues Apology After Incident with Conor Bradley

Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli has publicly expressed his regret after an incident involving Liverpool defender Conor Bradley, stating he is “deeply sorry” for shoving Bradley off the pitch. The incident occurred during the closing stages of the recent goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium, where Martinelli threw the ball at Bradley and physically engaged with him as he lay injured on the ground.

Bradley, aged 22, left the stadium on crutches and was seen wearing a supportive brace on his left knee following the match. Martinelli received a booking for the confrontation, which elicited strong reactions from Liverpool’s players, including criticism from former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, who labeled Martinelli as “a disgrace” during a Sky Sports broadcast.

In light of the backlash, Martinelli took to Instagram to address the situation, stating: “Conor and I have messaged, and I have already apologized to him. I really didn’t understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the moment. I want to say I’m deeply sorry for reacting. Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery.”

Prior to Martinelli’s social media apology, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta came to his player’s defense in the post-match press conference. Arteta remarked, “Knowing Gabi, he’s an incredible, lovely guy, and he probably didn’t realize what happened. I hope that Conor is well; I will have a word with him to understand that. Probably (Martinelli) didn’t recognize what happened.”

During the match, Bradley had previously struck the crossbar in a tightly contested game, but his injury now raises concerns about a prolonged absence from the field. Liverpool manager Arne Slot shared his apprehensions, stating, “I fear the worst for Conor Bradley. I don’t know yet, but he had to go off on a stretcher. We’ll have to wait on the scans to see if it’s that bad.”

Slot further commented on Martinelli’s actions, indicating, “I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli, but he comes across as a nice guy. The problem in general in football is that there’s so much time-wasting and players pretending to be injured, which can lead to frustration. You cannot expect Martinelli to think so clearly in the 94th minute. I’m a hundred percent sure that if he knew what the injury might be, he would never do that.”

As a result of this draw, Arsenal remains six points ahead of Manchester City in the league standings, leaving the reigning champions trailing by 14 points.