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Martinelli Apologizes After Pushing Injured Bradley

Noni Madueke (C) of Arsenal pushes back Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool who is approaching Gabriel Martinelli (R) of Arsenal during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC, in London, Britain, 08 January 2026. (EPA)
Noni Madueke (C) of Arsenal pushes back Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool who is approaching Gabriel Martinelli (R) of Arsenal during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC, in London, Britain, 08 January 2026. (EPA)
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Martinelli Apologizes After Pushing Injured Bradley

Noni Madueke (C) of Arsenal pushes back Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool who is approaching Gabriel Martinelli (R) of Arsenal during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC, in London, Britain, 08 January 2026. (EPA)
Noni Madueke (C) of Arsenal pushes back Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool who is approaching Gabriel Martinelli (R) of Arsenal during the English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC, in London, Britain, 08 January 2026. (EPA)

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli apologized to injured Liverpool right back Conor Bradley after trying to push him off the pitch near the end ​of the 0-0 draw on Thursday.

Bradley fell awkwardly near the touchline in stoppage time and Martinelli clearly thought he was time-wasting, throwing the ball at him before manhandling him.

Liverpool's players reacted angrily and after the ensuing melee, Martinelli and Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate were booked.

Northern Ireland full back Bradley was eventually taken off the field on a stretcher in obvious distress.

"Conor and I have messaged and I've ‌already apologized ‌to him. I really didn't understand he ‌was ⁠seriously ​injured in ‌the heat of the moment," Martinelli posted on social media.

"I want to say I'm deeply sorry for reacting. Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recovery."

Martinelli's actions were branded "disgraceful" and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said the Arsenal forward had left him fuming.

"You cannot do that. That is so poor. I think an apology is needed," the ⁠former Manchester United defender said.

"Bradley is being stretchered off. I'm fuming with Martinelli, to be ‌honest. Disgraceful. I'm surprised a Liverpool player ‍hasn't gone over and whacked Martinelli ‍there!"

Fellow pundit Roy Keane also criticized the Brazilian forward.

"I didn't like ‍it. It's happened to me when I was badly injured and a player stood over me, and it's not good... I'm surprised the Liverpool players didn't react to Martinelli more. I think that behavior is an absolute ​disgrace. Not good scenes," Keane said.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he "feared the worst" for Bradley, although he was measured ⁠in his criticism of Martinelli.

"I am 100% sure that if he knew what the injury might be, he wouldn't do that," the Dutchman said. "But it doesn't look great if Bradley has the injury we think he has.

"You don't like to see a player being moved if he might have an injury."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said Martinelli would never have tried to move Bradley if he thought he was injured.

"Probably he doesn't know because knowing Gabi, there is zero intention," the Spaniard said.

"I don't know what happened to Conor, but hopefully it's not bad, but ‌obviously, there is no intention from Gabi to do anything bad to him."

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Israeli Minister Criticizes Barcelona Star Lamine Yamal for Waving Palestinian Flag

FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal holds a Palestinian flag as he celebrates with his team atop a bus after winning the Spanish La Liga title in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, May 11, 2026. (AP Photo)
FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal holds a Palestinian flag as he celebrates with his team atop a bus after winning the Spanish La Liga title in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, May 11, 2026. (AP Photo)
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Israeli Minister Criticizes Barcelona Star Lamine Yamal for Waving Palestinian Flag

FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal holds a Palestinian flag as he celebrates with his team atop a bus after winning the Spanish La Liga title in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, May 11, 2026. (AP Photo)
FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal holds a Palestinian flag as he celebrates with his team atop a bus after winning the Spanish La Liga title in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, May 11, 2026. (AP Photo)

Israel's defense minister has criticized Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal for his waving of a Palestinian flag during celebrations of the Spanish league title win, saying the act “incites hate.”

“Lamine Yamal chose to incite hate against Israel while our soldiers combat the terrorist organization Hamas...” minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Thursday.

The 18-year-old Yamal waved a large Palestinian flag from an open-top bus during a victory parade by Barcelona’s team through the city on Monday. The parade drew some 750,000 people to celebrate the league title clinched the previous day, local authorities said.

Yamal, who is Muslim, posted pictures of him holding the flag on his Instagram account, The AP news reported.

Spain’s government and a large part of its population have been highly critical of Israel’s military operations that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza in response to the 2023 Hamas surprise attack.

There has been a global backlash against Israel over the humanitarian toll of the war in Gaza, which has spread to sport and culture. Protests have been seen in soccer, cycling and basketball. Last year's Spanish Vuelta was repeatedly disrupted by protesters angry with the participation of an Israeli-backed cycling team.

Spain is also one of five countries boycotting this year’s Eurovision Song Contest to protest Israel’s inclusion.

Yamal is set to star for Spain at next month’s World Cup to be played in North America.

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Iran Says No US Visas Issued Yet for 2026 World Cup

FILED - 16 August 2022, Berlin: Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, answers questions from journalists at a press conference after his meeting with the German Chancellor. Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa
FILED - 16 August 2022, Berlin: Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, answers questions from journalists at a press conference after his meeting with the German Chancellor. Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa
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Iran Says No US Visas Issued Yet for 2026 World Cup

FILED - 16 August 2022, Berlin: Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, answers questions from journalists at a press conference after his meeting with the German Chancellor. Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa
FILED - 16 August 2022, Berlin: Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, answers questions from journalists at a press conference after his meeting with the German Chancellor. Photo: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa

Iran's football federation chief on Thursday said no visas had yet been issued for the national team to participate in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, state media reported.

"Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we will have a decisive meeting with FIFA. They must give us guarantees, because the visa issue has still not been resolved," the state news agency IRNA quoted federation chief Mehdi Taj as saying.

"We have not received any account from the other side regarding who has been granted visas. No visas have been issued yet," he added, AFP reported.

According to Taj, the players were expected to travel to the Turkish capital Ankara for fingerprinting as part of the visa process.

"The players must travel to Ankara for fingerprinting, but we are trying to arrange for this to be done in Antalya so there will be no need to travel to Ankara," he said.

Iran has been at war with the United States and Israel since February 28, though a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8.

Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since 1980 following the hostage crisis at the US embassy that came after the Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah.

Iran held a send-off ceremony on Wednesday for the national football team as it prepared to play in the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Iran's national team, also known as TeamMelli, will be based in Tucson, Arizona during the World Cup.

The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 before lining up against Belgium and Egypt in Group G.

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Arteta: Arsenal in High Spirits for Run-in

(FILES) Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives ahead of kick-off in the UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium in north London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
(FILES) Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives ahead of kick-off in the UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium in north London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
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Arteta: Arsenal in High Spirits for Run-in

(FILES) Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives ahead of kick-off in the UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium in north London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
(FILES) Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives ahead of kick-off in the UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium in north London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

Arsenal's season appeared on the brink of collapse last month but a run of good results has worked wonders for their mood, with manager Mikel Arteta saying on Thursday that his team are entering the season's final games in the perfect state of mind.

A League Cup final defeat by title rivals Manchester City in March was followed by a FA Cup quarter-final loss to second-tier Southampton, which ended Arsenal's pursuit of a quadruple.

They were also briefly knocked off the top of the Premier League by City, but four wins in five games across all competitions means the London club enter their penultimate league fixture with a two-point lead.

They ⁠have also sealed ⁠a spot in the Champions League final, where they will take on holders Paris St Germain.

"The team is really present. It's living the moment. It's emotionally in a really good state. The energy level is the right one," Arteta told reporters ahead of a home game against Burnley on Monday.

"We have most players available now. OK, ⁠we lost Ben White the other day but the other ones are coming back as well. Everyone is so enthusiastic and so positive about the way we can finish the season."

Arteta confirmed that defender White had suffered a long-term injury, leaving Arsenal short-staffed at right back with Jurrien Timber also sidelined.

"We need to look at alternatives. The two players we have are not available at the moment. So we need to look and do something else," the Spanish manager added.

"The good thing is that we have experienced that all over the ⁠pitch this ⁠season, because when we have had issues, normally they've been in the same position as well, and we have still managed to find the right level of performance and consistency, so I'm sure we will do that."

Arsenal lead the standings with 79 points from 36 games, two ahead of City, but Pep Guardiola's side have a superior goal difference.

Asked if Arsenal needed to score more in the event that goal difference decided the title, Arteta said: "First we have to earn the right to win the game. Obviously if you can make a difference with more goals, that's even better...

"But we know ideally that scoring goals is going to be important."