0
LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger likened UEFA to a dictatorship and said Europe's governing body should show humility after he was charged with improper conduct following the Champions League defeat by Barcelona.
Wenger and midfielder Samir Nasri were charged with using “inappropriate language” towards Swiss referee Massimo Busacca at the end of the match at the Nou Camp on Tuesday which Arsenal lost 3-1 to go out 4-3 on aggregate.
They were complaining about the sending-off of Arsenal striker Robin van Persie who was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away after the whistle had sounded for an offside decision.
“We all understand that you can make wrong decisions but after that it becomes dictatorship, it's not any more common sense,” Wenger told a news conference on Thursday ahead of Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
“I think when you have a football game of that stature you cannot come out with decisions like that and show a lot of arrogance on top of that.
“I deny completely any charge. I do not understand where that comes from,” Wenger added.
“It is a shame for me that the referee took the decision to send Robin van Persie off. It was the wrong decision.
“The first leg was a fantastic advert for football and the second game has been destroyed. People now will only remember the sending-off,” added the Frenchman, who followed Busacca down the tunnel to discuss the decision.
“It would be good for UEFA to show some humility, to apologise for what has happened, not charge people who have done nothing wrong.”
Wenger and Nasri's cases will be heard by UEFA on March 17.
