“The worst things in football are excuses,” Pep Guardiola once said. “Excuses mean you can’t grow or move forward.”
Mikel Arteta he learned many lessons from his former mentor, but he seems to have neglected that particular pearl of wisdom. Arsenal’s increasingly busy boss blamed “tricky” ball used in the Carabao Cup after a wayward performance by his side ua Defeated Newcastle United 2-0 on Tuesday.
“It flies differently, when you touch it, the grip is very different,” Arteta fumed, ignoring the fact his side had scored 11 goals in three previous games with the same ball design.
The English Football League (EFL) which leads England intermediate cup competition hit back at Arteta’s comments with a scathing statement: “As required during the professional game, the Puma ball used in this season’s Carabao Cup and in the EFL competition from 2021/22 has been tested in accordance with FIFA’s quality program for soccer balls, and meets Fifa Quality Pro standard.
“Apart from the Carabao Cup, the same ball has been successfully used in other major European leagues, including both Series A and La Liga and our three divisions in the EFL. All clubs play with the same ball and we have not received any further comments of this nature following any of the previous 88 games played in this season’s Carabao Cup.”
Something for the winners… 🏆
As current holders @EmiratesFACup Season 23/24, @ManUtd will be playing with this gold limited edition Ultimax Pro match ball in the 3rd round match against Arsenal on Sunday.
Let’s see if I can make it all the way to the finals… pic.twitter.com/LlekjNQAZh
— Miter Sports (@MitreSports) January 9, 2025
Arteta’s fears of inadequate equipment could be fueled again when Arsenal host Manchester United in FA Cup third round on Sunday afternoon. Miter discovered that every cup match involving the reigning champions this season will be played with a unique “Golden Limited Edition Ultimax Pro” ball.
Gold, not silver, is the only difference between the ball used in Sunday’s game at the Emirates and the 63 other third-round matches. However, Miter is not the same manufacturing company Premier League the ball that Arteta seems to value above all others, that honor belongs to Nike – for now.
Puma, maker of the controversial Carabao Cup design, has agreed a deal to supply Premier League match balls from the 2025/26 season onwards.
Arteta was mocked for his feeble attempt to explain that on Tuesday Defeated Newcastle 2-0but he is not the first manager to come up with obscure excuses.
The Spaniard’s former Barcelona team-mate Xavi Hernandez was known to complain about every little thing he could think of. The grass was too long, the field too small, and the sun too strong.
Even Guardiola he ignored his own advice about apologies. After the 2017 Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers – which Arteta watched from the bench as assistant coach – the Manchester City manager wailed: “It’s not acceptable, the ball was unacceptable for a high-level competition.”
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