Inigo Martinez, Barcelona defender, issues statement following accusations of spitting on Inter Milan player, sparking heated on-field dispute.
Barcelona's Martinez Defends Himself After Allegations of Spitting at Acerbi
Inigo Martinez, the tough-tackling Barcelona defender, is under fire following accusations that he spat at Inter Milan's Francesco Acerbi during their thrilling Champions League showdown.
As the first half drew to a close, Hakan Calhanoglu netted a penalty to give Inter a commanding 2-0 lead on the night and a seemingly unassailable 5-3 edge on aggregate. The Italians erupted in jubilation, with Acerbi delighting in the moment as he ran past Martinez to celebrate with his teammates. Camera angles suggested Martinez retaliated by spitting in Acerbi's direction.
Acerbi was furious and confronted Martinez, along with other Barcelona players. He also raised the issue with the referee, but the incident went unpunished after a VAR review.
Martinez, in a candid post-game interview, admitted he was provoked by Acerbi's celebration but denied the alleged spitting incident.
"Acerbi celebrated the goal near my ear, and I got infuriated, but I didn't spit at him," Martinez stated calmly.
Talking about the incident after the final whistle, Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney on Amazon Prime urged that if guilty, Martinez should face punishment.
"Clearly, such unsportsmanlike behavior has no place in football," Rooney pointed out. "If he's guilty, the UEFA authorities will take appropriate action."
Co-pundit Daniel Sturridge added, "We'll let the authorities handle the matter. If he did spit, it's inexcusable."
As of now, UEFA has yet to comment on the matter, and there's no word on any retrospective action against Martinez. Let's see if the authorities will take notice of the alleged spitting incident that overshadowed a spectacular encounter between two European giants.
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- Following the Champions League showdown between Barcelona and Inter Milan, Barcelona's defender, Inigo Martinez, is under scrutiny due to allegations that he spat at Inter Milan's Francesco Acerbi.
- Discussing the incident post-game, Martinez admitted to being provoked by Acerbi's celebratory behavior but denied spitting at him.
- Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney, on Amazon Prime, commented that unsportsmanlike behavior like spitting has no place in football and urged that if Martinez is found guilty, UEFA should take appropriate action.
- In the aftermath of the alleged spitting incident, the UEFA authorities have yet to issue any comments or announce any retrospective action against Martinez.
- The alleged spitting incident between Martinez and Acerbi overshadowed a spectacular encounter between two European giants, Inter Milan and Barcelona, in the Champions League.
