Arsene Wenger: Chelsea wrong to go public over race claims without more proof

 
Julian Bennetts2 November 2012

Arsene Wenger today criticised Chelsea for their handling of the Mark ­Clattenburg race storm, claiming they should not have publicly accused the referee with “little proof”.

Chelsea reacted furiously after Sunday’s defeat to Manchester United, accusing the official of racially abusing John Obi Mikel and aiming other insults at Juan Mata.

The Blues back-tracked last night, dropping the allegations involving Mata, but are standing by their complaint that Mikel was racially abused.

Clattenburg is now the subject of investigations by the Metropolitan Police and the Football Association but Arsenal boss Wenger is adamant the situation could have been solved if they had spoken to the official calmly before going public with their allegations.

Wenger said: “I prefer, when I didn’t behave well, to have an explanation with the referee at the end of the game, or on another day, rather than going public with little proof.

“I’m not a great believer in making these stories public. My deep feeling is that I was not always behaving very well in this situation because they are very heated situations. But I am a deep supporter of doing that internally.

“For example, the last two nights were great adverts for football and that is absolutely fantastic.

“For the rest, I believe one of the great things in sport is that when the battle is on, especially in England, you can sort out the problems you have internally. If it becomes a sport to make the lawyers rich then I am not a fan of it.

“One of the great things in sport as well is tolerance, forgiveness and explanation internally, and I think it should stay like that. It can happen that a referee doesn’t behave well, I do not say they are angels, but it is always better to sort it out in the room.”

Of more immediate concern to Wenger is Saturday’s reunion with Robin van Persie, who moved to United for £24million in the summer after scoring 37 goals for Arsenal last season.

The striker has settled in superbly at his new club, scoring nine times, and will carry United’s main threat at Old Trafford. Wenger has revealed the Dutchman could have been playing on the other side of Manchester after rejecting an offer from City thought to be worth £300,000-per-week.

But the Frenchman has called on Arsenal fans to give their former captain a warm reception — rather than the hostile atmosphere that is likely.

“It is true that City [were] interested in him and that he chose to go to United,” said Wenger. “He could come out more on the reasons but I didn’t want to know more about that. He had chosen to go to United.

“I hope the reception for him is a respectful one because he played for us for eight years and did very well for us. You want him to be respected.

“We campaign against discrimination, it was still the case last week so why should it not be the case this week? I don’t know [what the fans will do], I think he’ll get the reception I hope for.”

Arsenal have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 games and conceded five at Reading in an amazing 7-5 victory on Tuesday. Wenger knows he will need an improved showing from his defence and admits he is concerned going into a game Arsenal lost 8-2 last season.

“When you are 4-0 down after 36 minutes you can’t say all is well on that front,” laughed Wenger when asked about his defence. “I don’t think it is Steve Bould’s fault! We have always worked hard defensively.”

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