Arsenal: Atletico star blames referee mistake for Champions League thrashing

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Evening Standard

·22 Oktober 2025

Arsenal: Atletico star blames referee mistake for Champions League thrashing

Jose Gimenez feels the Gunners benefited from an incorrect call

Anger: Jose Gimenez

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Jose Gimenez has blamed the referee for kick-starting Arsenal's thumping of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.

A closely-fought first half led to a blistering second-half display from the Gunners, who eventually ran out 4-0 winners. Gabriel opened the scoring, heading home a Declan Rice free kick, before Gabriel Martinelli swept home a second and Viktor Gyokeres prodded home two from close range.

But Gimenez believes the free kick which started the rout should never have happened, insisting referee David Massa's award of a foul from Marcus Llorente on Martinelli was a mistake.

He told Marca: "We struggled to play because they press very well, they always play one-on-one, and we couldn't find the passes. We struggled to get out of the back with the ball clean. Credit to them.

"We have to focus on ourselves and improve for what's coming next.

"The [first] goal came from a foul that was not a foul, which left us feeling weak for the second goal. Tt was another desperate game, and we couldn't find our feet."

He added: "When playing in the Champions League there are situations that make or break matches, and these kinds of things in close games are decided games... it has more influence than you might imagine."