ALVARO ARBELOA HIT WITH £25K FA FINE AFTER SAYING REFEREE WOULD 'NOT LET MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE'

Arbeloa made the comments about match officials following Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United last month

Alvaro Arbeloa hit with £25k FA fine for Man United comments
Alvaro Arbeloa has been fined (Bradley Collyer/PA)

PA Wire

Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has received a £25,000 FA fine and a warning on Wednesday for post-match comments questioning the integrity of the referee following last month’s Premier League match against Manchester United.

Arbeloa accepted a charge that he had "acted in an improper manner" through remarks made after the 1-1 draw between the sides at Craven Cottage on 20 September.

"I think all fouls for them," the Spaniard stated following the match, in reference to United, who had lost to Manchester City the previous weekend due to a contentious goal.

"Every decision was for them," Arbeloa added, "and I knew, I knew after the game against Man City that they don’t let Manchester United lose here."

Written reasons published on Wednesday showed the independent commission investigating the incident "felt that those words suggested, not only that there was bias on the part of the match officials throughout the game on repeated occasions, but also that there may even have been an element of pre-meditation by them and/or others to try to make up for an error in a different match."

Arbeloa is currently in his first season at Fulham having left Real Madrid over the summer.

Fulham are currently bottom of the table after taking just two points from their opening six games. One of those draws came against United, while they also earned a point away at Liverpool. They have been beaten by Chelsea, Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.

Arbeloa’s side are due to return to action when they host newly-promoted Hull City on Saturday at Craven Cottage. They will then face another promoted club, Coventry City, seven days later before playing Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup for a spot in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Fulham’s final match in October will be a trip to Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, Manchester United have failed to bounce back after last month’s draw at Fulham. Since returning from the international break, Michael Carrick’s side have been held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Tottenham, and they were then beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

- Sam Brookes

FULHAM BOSS ALVARO ARBELOA CHARGED BY FA AFTER CLAIMING OFFICIALS 'WOULD NOT LET MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE'

Arbeloa made the comments after Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United earlier this month

Arbeloa has been charged by the FA (Getty)

The Football Association has charged Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa with misconduct following his claims that officials “would not let Manchester United lose" during their Premier League draw at Craven Cottage.

Michael Carrick’s side were fortunate to leave with a point after Matheus Cunha’s 89th-minute deflected goal rescued a 1-1 draw on 20 September.

Speaking during a post-match TV interview, Arbeloa stated the referee had given "all fouls" to the opposition and added: "I knew after the game against Man City that they (would not) let Manchester United lose here," referencing a controversial VAR decision from the Manchester derby the previous weekend.

The FA alleges the manager "acted in an improper manner by making comments in a post-match interview that imply bias and/or question the integrity of a match official".

Arbeloa, who assumed control at Fulham in the summer but is yet to win a league match, has until Thursday to respond.

Fulham had gone ahead against United early in the second half thanks to a Lisandro Martinez own goal and looked on course for victory before Cunha’s late strike.

Former United player and Sky Sports commentator slammed his old team’s performance, claiming they played the “worst 15 minutes of football” he can remember seeing since watching the team from the age of five.

After the game, Neville explained his reasoning adding: “I was purely referring to the fact that they walked around the pitch. I’ve never seen a Manchester United team walk, out of possession, as much as that.

“Michael [Carrick] said he was happy with the team’s energy, Michael’s got to stop defending them. I get why he’s defending them, he’s loyal and wants his players to work for him. Both teams were the same, I called them mannequins. I’ve never seen a Manchester United team, for 15 minutes, walk around out of possession as much as that. No alertness, no liveliness, no sort of on your toes. Just walking when Fulham were in possession.

“There needs to be a rebalance,” Neville continued, “I wish he [Carrick] could play those attacking players but they’re going to kill him defensively.”

- Sam Brookes

KYLIAN MBAPPÉ EXPLOSIVE COMMENTS BRING REAL MADRID INTO THE OPEN

The forward had his say on recent controversies after the win over Oviedo.

Kylian Mbappé came off the bench in the second half of Thursday’s victory. | Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images

Kylian Mbappé told reporters that he is “the fourth-choice striker” at Real Madrid, in the aftermath of Thursday night’s 2–0 victory over Real Oviedo, adding to the off-field drama surrounding the club.

Madrid made light work of La Liga’s bottom club, sealing the win with goals from Gonzalo García and Jude Bellingham. However, it was still a tough night at the Bernabéu, as several stars faced jeers from the crowd in their first outing since the Clásico defeat that confirmed Barcelona’s title.

Mbappé started the match on the bench, having missed the two previous matches, including El Clásico, with a hamstring issue. The French superstar entered the pitch midway through the second half, but was greeted with a chorus of boos from the home support and was regularly whistled throughout the rest of the game.

The reaction comes as little surprise, given that millions people have signed a petition calling for Mbappé’s Real Madrid exit, amid a season mired in disappointed and controversy.

The striker, who was included as captain in France’s 26-man World Cup roster announced on Thursday, bagged the assist for Bellingham’s goal on 80 minutes, but couldn’t add to his league-leading tally of 24 this season.

Mbappé did, however, ensure he stole the headlines after the match.

Mbappé’s Candid Mixed Zone Appearance

🗣️ Mbappé sobre su suplencia frente al Real Oviedo: "Estoy muy bien. Hoy no he sido titular porque Arbeloa me ha dicho que soy el cuarto delantero de la plantilla".

#LALIGAenDAZN ⚽ pic.twitter.com/RBousiSOMQ

— DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) May 14, 2026

When asked about his fitness after the match, Mbappé insisted he had been ready to start but was bumped down the pecking order by Álvaro Arbeloa.

“I’m 100% fine” he said. “I haven’t played because the manager told me I’m the fourth-choice striker in the squad behind [Franco] Mastantuono, Vini and Gonzalo. I was ready to start, it’s his decision and you always have to respect it. I’m not angry.”

The comments raised eyebrows, as the club’s highest-paid player continued to double down, speaking apparently without filter as he addressed his and Madrid’s situation, telling reporters in the mixed zone: “I prefer to speak here, with my own mouth. That way it’s clearer. My only responsibility is to play well and give everything for the badge.”

Asked what it’s like to be “fourth-choice,” Mbappé replied: “Ask the manager. What do you want me to say?

“I was ready to start, but it’s his decision. I can’t be angry with the manager. You always have to respect a manager’s opinion. I'll just work hard in training and matches, hoping to become a starter.”

In comments that appeared to be a direct slight on Arbeloa, Mbappé assessed Madrid’s disappointing season by saying: “We started the season well, in La Liga, in the Champions League ... but we lost it in the second half [of the campaign]. And it hurts a lot, because I feel we had a clear playing style and we let it slip away.”

Meanwhile, on the two managers he has played under this season, he said: “I have a great relationship with Xabi [Alonso], he’s going to be a great coach. But that’s in the past and we have to look ahead.

“I have no problem with Arbeloa. You have to respect him. You have to accept the coach’s philosophy, and I have to do my best to play ahead of Vini, Gonzalo and Mastantuono.”

When asked if he had been hurt by the manager’s recent comments, Mbappé joked: “I have French TV, I don't have Spanish TV at home. So I don’t know what he said!”

Arbeloa Insists ‘I Decide the Team’

Álvaro Arbeloa addressed Mbappé’s explosive claims in his post-match press conference. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

In his post-match press conference, Arbeloa initially disputed Mbappé’s claims.

“He must not have understood correctly,” the Madrid boss insisted. “I don’t know what to tell you, I didn’t tell him he’s the fourth-choice striker.”

However, when pressed on the matter, Arbeloa hit back insisting he is the one responsible for team selection and the players need to live with it.

“If I don’t play him, he can’t play,” Arbeloa said. “I decide; I’m the coach. I spoke with him earlier, and I don’t know how he might have interpreted it. He shouldn’t have started today because it’s not a matter of life or death. We have a match on Sunday, and he’ll definitely be the starting striker.

“Seven days later, he’ll have earned his place as the starting striker. I decide who plays. I understand that whoever isn’t playing isn’t happy. I can understand that he’s not happy, but it’s a decision based on the circumstances. I didn’t want to take any risks. It was the most logical, common-sense thing to do.

“I said that a player who couldn’t even make the bench four days ago should come on in the second half. He’ll start on Sunday. Gonzalo deserved to play today. I understand that those who don’t start aren’t happy. But as long as I’m in this position, I’m going to make the decisions. If they like it, fine. If not, they can wait until next time.”

When asked about Mbappe’s comments that Madrid have fallen off in the second half of the season, Arbeloa snapped back at his No. 9.

“I’d be happy if he thinks that. He’s probably scored many more goals in the first half of the season than in the second,” Arbeloa concluded.

- Andrew Headspeath

REAL MADRID 6-1 MONACO | ARBELOA POST MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE