Hürzeler Extends Olive Branch to Arteta Following “Anti-Football” Outburst BRIGHTON

Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hürzeler has sought to clear the air with Mikel Arteta, revealing he sent a personal text message to the Arsenal boss following a week of “noise” surrounding the Gunners’ tactical approach.

Despite his previous scathing assessment of Arsenal’s perceived gamesmanship, Hürzeler has now backed the North Londoners to end their 22-year title drought. “I will be the first one to congratulate Arsenal when they win the Premier League,” the 33-year-old German stated on Friday. “Because if they win it, they will definitely deserve it.”

Tensions at the Amex
The controversy stems from Arsenal’s narrow 1-0 victory at the Amex Stadium on March 4, 2026. A 9th-minute strike from Bukayo Saka was enough to move Arsenal seven points clear at the top of the table after Manchester City’s surprise 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.

In the immediate aftermath, a furious Hürzeler accused Arsenal of “making their own rules,” specifically targeting goalkeeper David Raya for going down three times to receive treatment.

Hürzeler claimed “only one team tried to play football” and vowed he would never be the kind of manager to adopt such tactics.

Standing by Principles
While Hürzeler has moved to de-escalate the personal tension, he maintained that his critique of the league’s officiating standards remains unchanged.

“There were things that made me emotional,” Hürzeler explained. “I am a person that sticks to my principles… and it created a lot of noise. I think that’s also important in life, no matter who you’re working for, to stand by your opinion.”
Respect for the Process.

The Brighton boss emphasized that his comments were “nothing personal” and that he holds huge respect for Arteta’s work in transforming Arsenal into the league’s most clinical defensive unit.

“I love to see them play and I admire a lot of elements of what they are doing,” Hürzeler added. For his part, Arteta remained tight-lipped about the private exchange, describing Hürzeler as a “fantastic coach” and noting that his willingness to speak publicly “says a lot of positive things about him as a person.”
Team Played GD Points Position
Arsenal 30 +37 67 1st
Manchester City 29 +32 60 2nd
Brighton 29 +2 37 14th
Standings as of March 13, 2026.