Tottenham Hotspur man Richarlison stuck to his guns when asked about the incident that led to him grabbing Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s shirt at full time.
Richarlison made his return to action for Spurs in the North London derby after picking up an injury while representing Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It was not a pleasant return for the former Everton man, who had to watch as his team were taken for a ride to end up losing 2 – 0 to Arsenal in front of their home fans.
The fiery forward also got involved in a fracas at the end of the match, when he grabbed Arsenal goalkeeper Ramsdale’s shirt for being disrespectful to the home fans.
Ramsdale admitted that the incident, which led to a Spurs fan kicking him in the back, was partly his fault as he exchanged trash talk with the home fans who were giving him a hard time during the game.
“Yeah well obviously the Spurs fans were giving me some flak (in the) second-half and I gave them some back, which was… the few people who I did do it to was probably well greeted. You know, sportsmanship like,” Ramsdale said after the game.
“And then a fan jumped over and gave me a little punch on the back so… it’s what happened and it’s a shame because it’s just a game of football at the end of the day.”
To Richarlison, however, it made no difference as he stood his ground for confronting the Arsenal goalkeeper after the game.
Richarlison told ESPN Brasil: “I didn’t like their ‘keeper celebrating there, it was like, disrespectful to our fans there. So I went to call him up on it. They had their fans there, so he should celebrate with them and not be cute with our fans.“
Richarlison also apologised to his Brazil teammate Gabriel Martinelli, whose extended hand of sportsmanship to him after the game he ignored.
“I want to apologise to him (Martinelli). He put his hand out and I didn’t. Like it or not, he is my Brazil teammate. This is part of it, it’s a derby, we were hot-headed,” the former Watford man added.
“With Gabriel, I argued a little because he was holding up the game. He ended up getting a yellow (for time-wasting), and I said to him, ‘let’s play, let’s play’. And he was holding up the game.”
The FA have initiated investigations against Spurs for the incident. A fan’s identity has also been submitted to the authorities for assault and the said fan is facing a lifetime stadium ban once he is found out.
