Mikel Arteta Insists He Can’t Hide His Emotions Despite Match Ban

The manager of Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has insisted that he won’t allow his one-match suspension to prevent him from expressing his feelings while on the sidelines.

Coach Mikel Arteta was shown his third yellow card of the season during Arsenal’s 4-3 win over Luton Town on Tuesday.

Referee Samuel Barrott showed Arteta the yellow card for over-celebrating Declan Rice’s late winning goal which cemented their place at the top of the league table.

Since he has received three yellow cards this season, he has to be suspended for a match which means that Arteta will not be on the touchline against Aston Villa at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.

During the pre-match press conference earlier today, Arteta stressed that he would not stop expressing his emotions on the touchline despite the ban.

The 41-year-old Spanish tactician said: “I don’t know how to stop it.

“It was a really emotional moment with everybody bouncing around and you lose sense of where you are and the space you have to be in.

“It was unfortunate as now I cannot be next to my team on the touchline but it is a decision that they make looking strictly at the rules.”

Mikel Arteta said: “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, and 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 that you are at an away ground but if I was given the chance I would be there jumping.”

There is a possibility that Mikel Arteta could be slammed with a lengthier ban following his charges by the Football Association for comments he made after Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle in November.

The Spaniard described the officiating of the game as “embarrassing” and a “disgrace” that the video assistant referee (VAR) had allowed Newcastle’s goal.