EPL: Arsene Wenger apologises for ‘regrettable’ touchline clash with Mourinho

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has apologised for his touchline clash with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho during the 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge.

Wenger and Mourinho were involved in a touchline spat during the London derby which saw the Frenchman shove the Portuguese, as well as the pair exchange choice words.

The 64-year-old Frenchman initially defended his actions in the aftermath of the game and claimed he had ‘nothing to apologise for’, but he has taken to French TV to reveal he ‘regrets’ the incident.

Wenger, speaking to Telefoot on Sunday, said: ‘They gave too much importance to this story. In hindsight I think I should not have reacted at all, it’s not a way to behave on a football field.

Wenger and Mourinho had to be separated by fourth official Jonathan Moss as their rivalry showed itself

‘I always regret any signs of violence and I apologise, but that’s part of games where everything is manic – and then we have quite a substantial past.

‘Did Mourinho provoke me? That is how I felt. I did not enter Chelsea’s technical area.’

Interestingly, Mourinho also spoke to the same French TV station about the already infamous incident. But the Chelsea boss refused to add further fuel to the fire by giving his opinion on the clash. ‘Wenger will explain what he wants to explain,’ Mourinho said.

‘I will not say more. I have no words to explain what everybody else saw in those images.’

The apology from Arsenal boss Wenger comes despite his insistence he had done nothing wrong on the touchline at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking immediately after the game, Wenger said: ‘I don’t regret it, what is there to regret? ‘I want to go from A to B and someone (Mourinho) confronted me before I got to B without any sign of a welcome.’