Soccer

KAI HAVERTZ was forced off with a bloodied face in the dying embers of Arsenal’s 1-0 Champions League defeat to Inter Milan.The Gunners’ star was involved in a horrid head collision with an Inter Milan player, leaving him with blood pouting down his face.Kai Havertz was left covered in blood after a sickening head collisionCredit: TNT SPORTSHavertz jumped up to try and win a header at a cornerCredit: BEINSPORTSHe clashed heads with Yann Aurel BisseckCredit: RexBoth players were left on the floor after the collisionCredit: PAArsenal were pushing for a late equaliser against the Italian giants when Havertz committed to a header in the box.Unfortunately for the German, Inter defender Yann Aurel Bisseck was just as enthusiastic to clear the ball and the pair clashed heads in the air.It was Havertz who came off worse as Bisseck’s head bashed straight into his eye.The 25-year-old needed immediate medical attention from the Arsenal staff as blood poured down his face.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLMikel Arteta was ultimately forced to withdraw his centre-forward.But in a silver lining to a horrid moment, Havertz was replaced by Martin Odegaard – who returned to the pitch for the first time since suffering an ankle injury on international duty for Norway in September.But even the return of Arsenal’s captain and playmaker couldn’t get the Gunners over the line with any points to bring back to North London.Arteta’s side were unable to find the back of the net and lost their first Champions League game of the season, conceding their first goal in the competition this term too.Most read in FootballHavertz was covered in blood after the head clashCredit: GettyHe was removed from the pitch by Arsenal medical staffCredit: GettyMartin Odegaard replaced the GermanCredit: GettyFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe 1-0 defeat came after a controversial penalty decision in the first half.Inter were awarded the spot-kick for a handball offence by Mikel Merino, but Arsenal fans and players were convinced that the Spaniard was too close to the initial contact for it to be given.Jamie Carragher SAVAGES Arsenal on Monday Night Football and says they’re ‘like a Mourinho team without the trophies’But Uefa’s handball rules meant that Merino was deemed to have handled the ball with his arm in an unnatural position and Hakan Çalhanoğlu dispatched the resulting penalty.There’s no rest for Arsenal now either with a trip to face Premier League rivals Chelsea next up this weekend. More

ARSENAL fans have been left seething after conceding a controversial penalty during their Champions League clash with Inter Milan.The Gunners fell 1-0 down just before half-time after Mikel Merino deemed to have handled the ball inside the area, resulting in a penalty for Inter.Arsenal fans have been left fuming after conceding a controversial penalty against Inter MilanCredit: GettyThe ball struck the hand of Mikel Merino inside the areaHakan Calhanoglu dispatched the penalty to give Inter the leadCredit: GettyThat penalty was tucked away confidently by Hakan Calhanoglu and Inter took the lead with their first shot on target.But Arsenal fans don’t think that the Italian giants should have had a penalty in the first place, slamming the decision as “diabolical”.The ball clearly struck Merino on the hand, but the Spaniard was in close proximity to Mehdi Taremi when the ball bounced onto his arm.And Arsenal fans think that Inter star Lautaro Martinez should have been dismissed too, just moments before the spot-kick was awarded.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThe Argentine was booked in the 16th minute for some pushing and shoving in the box, but risked a second yellow when he gestured to the referee to book William Saliba later in the half.Fortunately for Martinez, Romanian official István Kovács chose not to reach into his pocket and dismiss him for the offence.That left Arsenal fans seething with many reacting on social media.One fan wrote: “Am I dreaming or did Lautaro ask the ref to book Saliba which is a bookable offence while being on a booking?”Most read in FootballArsenal fans felt Lautaro Martinez should have been shown a second yellow cardCredit: EPAFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSWhile another fumed: “Lautaro waving for the imaginary yellow is suppose to be a card I thought.. A second for him.”A third commented: “Never a penalty that for Inter Milan. And if we are going down the ‘letter of the law’, then Lautaro Martinez should have received a second yellow card for asking for an opponent to be booked.”Thierry Henry aims huge dig at Arsenal in awkward CBS Sports moment as fans ask ‘why are you s***ting on your own club?And a fourth blasted: “Lautaro waving imaginary yellow and doesn’t get his second for it. They then get a ridiculously soft pen… what’s Merino supposed to do???”Arsenal fans had felt hard done by earlier in the half too, claiming they deserved a penalty themselves.Merino was involved once again as the summer signing leapt up for a header at a corner kick and collided with Yann Sommer.The Swiss shot-stopper jumped up to try and punch the ball away from trouble and ended up punching Merino in the head instead.But after a swift VAR review it was deemed that there was no significant error.Yann Sommer appeared to punch Mikel Merino in the head early in the first halfCredit: AP More

ASTON VILLA paid the harshest penalty possible after conceding the craziest goal in their 150-year-history to wreck their 100% Champions League record.Unfortunately Tyrone Mings will never forget his Champions League debut – for all the wrong reasons – after producing one of the biggest gaffes ever seen at this level.Aston Villa waved goodbye to their 100% record in this year’s Champions LeagueCredit: AlamyClub Brugge’s Hans Vanaken dispatched a penalty to win his side all three pointsCredit: PAThere seemed little to get excited about when Emi Martinez rolled the ball to his big defender at a goal kick.Until Mings reached down with his left hand, stopped the ball and proceeded to place it at the edge of his six yard box in a moment of madness!Suddenly all hell broke loose as Brugge’s clued-up players screamed foul and German ref Tobias Stieler agreed and pointed to the spot.Mings was stunned and protested his innocence along with Martinez.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut his defence was flimsy because he really should have been aware that Martinez had passed the ball rather than rolled it to him!Hans Vanaken kept his cool to send Villa’s spot-kick-king the wrong way from the resultant penalty and shell-shocked Villa never recovered.Unai Emery has taken charge of 190 European ties but he can never have lost one in such bizarre circumstances.It brought back memories of Gabriel’s let-off for Arsenal against Bayern Munich last season under similar circumstances.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSOn that occasion the Gunner was given a reprieve because the referee claimed it wasn’t in the spirit of the game to award a penalty.Unfortunately for Mings and Villa, referee Stieler was a stickler for the letter of the law.Aston Villa fans spot what Unai Emery did immediately after win over Bayern Munich as they say ‘what a man’So Villa and their stunned supporters were left to nurse a massive hangover in the beer capital of Europe.Yet Emery had every right to feel confident as he entered Club Brugge’s atmospheric Jan Breydelstadion on the second anniversary of his first match in charge of Villa.Unbeaten in four previous Champions League ties against Belgian opposition, he had won the last three with an aggregate score of 16-0.Emery led Valencia to a 7-0 win over Genk in 2011 and followed that up with a 9-0 aggregate win when his Paris Saint Germain team steam-rollered Anderlecht in 2017.That must have had Bruges goalkeeper Simon Mignolet quaking in his boots as he looked to improve on his own miserable Champions League record.The former Liverpool No.1 had conceded a goal every 46 minutes – the worst ratio of any keeper to play more than 2,500 minutes in the competition.Emery even felt confident enough to hand Tyrone Mings a Champions League debut of fire, 15 months after his horror ACL injury at Newcastle.Unfortunately it backfired on them both so unexpectedly!It took nine minutes for Villa to threaten when Ollie Watkins collected in space and ran at Brugge’s exposed defence.Tyrone Mings was at fault for the penaltyCredit: GettyThe defender PICKED UP the ball inside his own boxCredit: TNT SPORTSMings was hooked by Unai Emery after his errorCredit: GettyBut 20-year-old Ecuadorian Joel Ordonez read the danger brilliantly and expertly dispossessed the England striker.Youri Tielemans was singled out for treatment by the home support throughout, after starting his career with Brugge’s fierce rivals Anderlecht.And their jeers turned to ironic cheers when the Belgian international blazed a shot well over from the edge of the penalty area.Brugge responded with the first shot on target as Maxim De Cuyper tested Emi Martinez following a short free kick.Then Ordonez just failed to play in striker Ferran Jutgla with a searching through pass which he was inches away from.Watkins shot inches wide and John McGinn headed well over from seven yards as Villa got back on the front foot.But Brugge were growing in confidence and Mings turned back the clock with a brilliant goal line clearance to deflect Casper Nielsen’s netbound header which had beaten Martinez.Ardon Jashari pounced on the rebound but Martinez recovered to save.However Villa were living dangerously and came within a fraction of falling behind on the half hour.Ferran Jutgla’s fierce shot from inside the box was brilliantly touched onto the post by Emi Martinez, who then saved Christos Tzolis’s rebound.Villa made it to half-time intact but despite enjoying more than 60% of possession they have ridden their luck at times with Brugge rattling off five shots on target to the visitors’ one.But their luck ran out seven minutes after the break when they conceded one of the craziest goals ever – from their own goal kick!Martinez rolled the ball to Mings who picked the ball up and placed it in the corner of the six yard box to presumably take it himself.But credit the razor-sharp Brugge players who spotted an opportunity and frantically claimed for a penalty for handball.German referee Stieler agreed that Mings should have known the ball was in play and penalised Villa’s comeback man who couldn’t believe his misfortune.Hans Vanaken beat Martinez from the spot and Brugge were ahead in the most bizarre circumstances.Unai Emery received a lecture from Stieler for his protests and then played his joker as he sent on super sub Jhon Duran for McGinn.But Brugge were in control and Andreas Skov Olsen fired over as Villa continued to reel from the shock loss of THAT goal!READ MORE SUN STORIESThen sub Bjorn Meier squandered a golden opportunity to put the tie beyond Villa as he shot wide from close range with the goal at his mercy.In truth Villa surrendered with a whimper as they failed to recover from Mings’ moment of madness!Villa will have to bounce back from a lacklustre performanceCredit: RexThings don’t get much easier for the Villans More