Yahoo Sports Mikel Arteta: It would take a rope to stop me celebrating Arsenal goals
Mikel Arteta has said he would need to be tied to his dugout by a rope to stop celebrating goals as the Arsenal manager expressed his belief coaches should be free to enjoy the moment without the threat of touchline bans.
Arteta was shown a yellow card for “excessive celebrating” after his team scored a stoppage-time winner in the 4-3 victory at Luton Town in midweek.
It was the Spaniard’s third yellow card of the season, which means he is now banned from the touchline for Saturday’s match against Aston Villa.
Arteta said that he cannot stop his instinctive emotional reactions and added that, if he could, he would celebrate such moments with players on the pitch.
He also appeared to suggest that the rules on excessive celebrations have not been applied with consistency to other managers in the league.
Asked if his yellow card shows that managers are not allowed to celebrate, Arteta said: “We are, but I think we have a boundary. Maybe we have to extend [that boundary] or we just need a very strong rope, or we do not move.
“But it means we don’t move – all of us. I say we, not me.”
Arteta said he “does not know how” to stop his exuberant celebrations. Asked if he would want to, even if he could, he said: “If I was given the opportunity, no. I would like to be with my players, because we work closely every single day to achieve what we want, which is to win the games.
“When you get those moments in sport you should be able to do that. I understand as well that there are certain boundaries and you have to respect them, such as when you are in an away ground. But if I was given the chance, I would be there jumping [with the players].”
Arteta is not the first manager to be banned from the touchline for accumulating three yellow cards this season. Pep Guardiola, Erik ten Hag, Mauricio Pochettino and Marco Silva have also served one-match suspensions in 2023-24.
Separately, Arteta is still waiting to hear the outcome of his Football Association charge for his furious outburst about referees last month. Arteta had a personal hearing at the FA on Thursday.
