Arsenal Apologises to Atletico Madrid After Hot Water Glitch Disrupts Training
Arsenal have apologised to Atletico Madrid after a hot water failure at Emirates Stadium disrupted the Spanish side’s pre-match preparations. The issue left Atletico players unable to access hot showers following their Monday evening training session ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League group-stage clash. UEFA rules allow visiting teams to train at the host stadium the day before a fixture. Diego Simeone’s squad was forced to cut the session short after discovering there was no hot water in their dressing room. The team, scheduled to finish at 19:30, ended training 15 minutes early and returned to their hotel. Spanish newspaper Marca reported that Atletico players were frustrated by the disruption. Arsenal later apologised to the visiting staff, and the issue was resolved shortly afterward. Mikel Arteta’s side have won their opening two Champions League matches without conceding a goal, while Atletico bounced back from a 3-2 defeat to Liverpool with a 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Arteta praised Simeone’s team for their discipline and competitiveness. “You can sense their willingness to win in every ball and every yard. Their organisation and discipline are very high, and they have recruited talent suited to their style over the years. They are excellent at exploiting opportunities,” Arteta said.