Martinelli expresses regret to injured Bradley
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli has expressed his regret to Conor Bradley following an incident where he pushed the injured Liverpool defender during the Premier League match on Thursday. The Gunners faced frustration at Emirates Stadium, where they were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against the reigning champions, leaving Arsenal six points ahead at the Premier League summit.
However, a significant moment occurred during stoppage time in the second half when Bradley fell injured near the sideline. He ultimately required a stretcher to be taken off, raising concerns from Liverpool manager Arne Slot that the full-back—who had previously struck the crossbar—might be facing a severe knee injury.
Before Bradley could receive medical attention, Martinelli interacted with the downed defender by bouncing the ball off him and even attempted to push him off the field to resume play. The situation ignited outrage among fans and analysts, with Sky Sports’ Gary Neville and Roy Keane both offering sharp criticism of Martinelli, who has since issued an apology.
“I really didn’t comprehend that he was badly injured in the heat of the moment,” Martinelli shared on Instagram. “I want to sincerely apologize for my reaction. Wishing Conor all the best for a swift recovery.”
“We are a team, we are friends but most importantly we are a family.” pic.twitter.com/wyDQ6Z5fcu
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 9, 2026
Slot, on the other hand, came to Martinelli’s defense, implying that the Brazilian would not have behaved this way if he had recognized Bradley’s serious condition. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta added, “(Martinelli) is an incredible, lovely guy. I’m unsure what happened to Conor, but I hope it’s not serious. Clearly, Gabi had no intention of causing harm.”
Martinelli’s frustration boiled over after a largely ineffective performance from Arsenal, who failed to pose a real threat to Alisson despite registering nine shots, resulting in an expected goals tally of just 0.57. Conversely, Liverpool managed not to make a shot on target in a Premier League game for the first time since March 2010 against Wigan Athletic.
This marked the first 0-0 draw between Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League since August 2015. In their previous 20 league encounters, a total of 79 goals had been scored, averaging 3.95 goals per match.
Published: 2026-01-09 11:55:00
source: www.soccernews.com
