Cesc Fabregas is alleged to have spat at Hull assistant manager Brian Horton last night after Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Hull. He has categorically denied it, and Phil Brown has categorically stated that is happened – so at best one is seriously mistaken, at worst one is outright lying.
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Brian Horton is reporting Cesc to the LMA – no smoke without fire? Read more here.
As it is alleged to have happened in the tunnel, away from the prying eyes of the proliferation of TV cameras, we will probably never know the truth. But as a huge fan of Arsenal and Fabregas in particular, and a dislike for Phil Brown as a moaning, attention seeking Sam Allardyce wannabe, I’m going to side with the Gunners. Below is the original story, and match reaction, taken from the BBC:
Hull City manager Phil Brown accused Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas of spitting at his assistant Brian Horton at the end of their stormy FA Cup quarter-final.
Arsenal scored twice late on to win 2-1 at the Emirates and seal a last-four date against Chelsea at Wembley.
Brown said: “For their club captain Cesc Fabregas to spit at my assistant at the end of the game shows you what this club is all about.”
Fabregas, who was out injured, later strenuously denied the allegation.
“I categorically deny that I spat at anybody after the match,” said the 21-year-old Gunners midfielder.
“I have never done this in my whole career on the pitch, so why would I do it when I am not even playing?
“I can understand the frustration of losing a game to a dubious goal – that has happened to me many times in my career as well – but this is not the fault of me or any of the Arsenal players.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he knew nothing about the incident.
“I know nothing about that at all. I’m not a specialist to create newspaper stories or to create things that are minor that might have happened in the tunnel. I’m sorry, I can’t speak about something I haven’t seen,” stated Wenger.
Fabregas, who is recovering from knee surgery, joined his team-mates on the pitch at the final whistle after two goals in the last 16 minutes from Robin van Persie and a disputed header from William Gallas cancelled out Nick Barmby’s early strike.
Brown added: “I was there and I witnessed it, he spat at my assistant manager down the tunnel, that’s their club captain. Hopefully he’s proud of himself. He spat at his feet.”
Hull’s boss was furious after the defeat, accusing referee Mike Riley and his officials of succumbing to pressure from Arsenal and boss Wenger – and the game ended without the two managers shaking hands.
Brown claimed: “The game was turned on its head when the referee succumbed to local pressure.”
He also condemned his Arsenal counterpart’s behaviour as the Emirates crowd taunted Hull for what they saw as time-wasting.
He said: “Mr Wenger decides to join in and the result is my goalkeeper getting booked in the second half.
“Arsene Wenger got my goalkeeper booked. You call that good management? He was complaining about time-wasting. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
Asked about Wenger’s failure to shake his hand at the final whistle, Brown said: “He never does.”
Brown insisted: “We haven’t been beaten by Arsenal, and they are fourth top of the Premier League. We have been beaten by a linesman’s decision and a referee’s decision for Gallas’ goal.”
It seems out of character for Fabregas. He claims he has never done anything like that ON the pitch, so why would he do it when he is OFF the pitch.
Tensions can run just as high in the dugouts, I would imagine though, and maybe there is an extra level of frustration when a key player knows they cannot influence proceedings.
It is possible for a player to spit without meaning to direct it at a person. But if that were the case, Fabregas might be expected to explain that’s what happened, rather than denying spitting at all as he has done.
In conclusion, it seems a strange accusation to invent, so I am inclined to think there is an element of truth to it. Guess we’ll never know, surely we must now advocate Sky ‘Tunnel Cams’!!
p.s. i’m glad Arsenal won, should make for a cracking semi.
There’s certainly an argument for the ‘no smoke without fire’ perspective. As you say, a likely explanation may be that Fabregas spat generally and it happened to be in the direction of Horton. Who knows – but either way I’m not sure we’ll ever see tunnel cams!
People moan about a semi final line up of Man Utd, Chelsea Arsenal and Everton – but then they moaned when it was Portsmouth and Cardiff. Just can’t win. Personally I favour the best teams being in the cup final and bar Liverpool, that’s what looks like happening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH2kB3t7b3U
Check this out. Unbelievable evidence of Fabregas blatantly spitting right in Ballack’s face. He has previous!!