Joel Veltman Speaks Out on Declan Rice’s Red Card: "I Didn’t Want to Kick Him"
In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Brighton defender Joel Veltman opened up about the controversy surrounding Declan Rice’s red card during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton. The incident, which occurred when Veltman attempted to take a quick free-kick and accidentally kicked Rice, has been a hot topic of debate among football fans and pundits alike.
Veltman, who was involved in the altercation, admitted that he didn’t agree with the decision made by referee Chris Kavanagh. "For me, it goes really far with common things on social media and we have a game coming up so I don’t want to say a lot about it, but the only thing I can say is that I didn’t want to kick him," he said.
Rice, who was given his second yellow card of the game, will now miss Arsenal’s upcoming North London derby against Tottenham. Veltman praised the England international for his reaction to the incident, saying, "That’s amazing personality from him."
The incident has sparked controversy, with many questioning whether Rice’s actions warranted a red card. Veltman’s comments suggest that he didn’t intend to kick Rice, and the referee’s decision has been met with widespread criticism.
Arsenal will be without Rice and captain Martin Odegaard for the trip to Spurs, who was injured during Norway’s Nations League clash with France. Riccardo Calafiori is also a doubt after taking a nasty knock in Italy’s Nations League match against France.
In other news, Arsenal’s new signing Raheem Sterling could make his debut this weekend. The former Chelsea forward has been working hard to get up to speed with his new teammates and is expected to be involved in the squad.
What do you think about the incident? Should Declan Rice have been given a red card? Let us know in the comments below!
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