Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli has publicly criticized Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard for a dangerous tackle during their Premier League clash on Saturday, which ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium. The incident, which occurred in the 28th minute, saw Norgaard catch Martinelli with a scissor-like challenge, prompting outrage from the Arsenal camp.
Martinelli, speaking to Sky Sports after the match, described the tackle as “nasty” and insisted it warranted a red card. “I didn’t see it again, but in the moment, if my foot was on the floor, he could have broken my leg,” the 23-year-old Brazilian said. “He said he didn’t mean it, and I believe him, but still, it was dangerous. For me, it was a red.”
The tackle, which left Martinelli writhing in pain, was reviewed by VAR but resulted in only a yellow card for Norgaard, a decision that baffled Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “I think my reaction said it all,” Arteta told reporters post-match, visibly frustrated by referee Simon Hooper’s call.
The challenge overshadowed an otherwise competitive match, where Thomas Partey’s 61st-minute goal for Arsenal was canceled out by Yoane Wissa’s equalizer 13 minutes later. The draw further dented Arsenal’s fading Premier League title hopes, leaving them trailing league leaders Liverpool.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp weighed in on the incident, acknowledging the tackle’s severity while stopping short of calling it a red-card offense. “It’s not a great tackle. It’s one that can hurt players because of the twisting motion on Martinelli’s knee,” Redknapp noted. “But very rarely do you see a red for this.”
Brentford boss Thomas Frank defended his captain, insisting there was “no evil intention” in the challenge. “That’s Martinelli’s opinion. I thought it was a strong yellow,” Frank said. Norgaard was also seen apologizing to Martinelli in the tunnel at halftime, a gesture the Arsenal star accepted, though he remained firm on the tackle’s potential for harm.
Arsenal fans took to social media to express their discontent, with some even speculating that Norgaard’s tackle was an attempt to disrupt the Gunners ahead of their upcoming Champions League match against Real Madrid. However, Martinelli emerged unscathed and completed the full 90 minutes, much to the relief of the Arsenal faithful.