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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hit out at Premier League rivals Chelsea, claiming that English sides need to respect the referees more.
Chelsea were heavily criticised following their Champions League exit to Paris Saint Germain last week after a number of their players surrounded referee Bjorn Kuipers following Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s red card tackle on midfielder Oscar.
Wenger, who was involved in a personal altercation with match officials during his side’s exit to Monaco on Tuesday; has insisted his players do not act the same as Chelsea, although he criticised himself for his recent actions.
“With the team I don’t think we have had too much of that problem, we have never been reproached for doing it, but I question myself on my individual behaviour, that is true, because I am sometimes keen to as well,” Wenger told Sky Sports News.
“We want everybody to be respected and the referees are part of everybody. You want players to be ready to fight for each other. But how far has that to go in the behaviour? You have to draw a line somewhere, you cannot go after every decision of the referee.
“Sometimes it helps you to get your frustration out, but I don’t think it is right, honestly. That doesn’t mean I don’t do it. I do. I have looked back on the tape sometimes, and even sometimes at half-time I think (to myself) ‘come on, stop that, my friend’, and then I think in the second half I will not say a word to him any more.”
