Carabao Cup: Organizers Mock Arteta Over Complaints About Match Balls

The organizers of the English Carabao Cup mocked Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after he suggested that the match balls used in the competition played a role in his team’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle in the first leg of the semifinal on Tuesday.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle took a significant step toward the final at Wembley, with goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal registered 23 shots during the match, only three of which were on target, while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli missed key chances.

The balls used in the Carabao Cup are manufactured by German company Puma, while those in the Premier League are produced by American brand Nike.

Arteta said, “We hit many balls over the bar. It’s difficult. This ball flies a lot. It’s completely different from the league ball, and we have to adapt. It moves differently, and controlling it is very challenging.”

Before the match against Newcastle, Arsenal had scored 11 goals in three Carabao Cup matches this season.

The official Carabao Cup account on X (formerly Twitter), which has nearly 600,000 followers, reposted a video of Arteta’s comments from his post-match press conference. The post included a humorous meme featuring American rapper 50 Cent with a mocking expression, referencing the manager’s complaints.

The second leg of the semifinal will take place on February 5 at St. James’ Park, with the winner facing either Tottenham or Liverpool in the final.

Arteta faces mounting pressure to secure a second trophy with Arsenal, five years after winning the FA Cup in his debut season.

Arsenal, currently second in the Premier League, will face Manchester United in the FA Cup Round of 32 on Sunday.