Football

Why Dani Carvajal Was Angry With Bukayo Saka After Grabbing Arsenal Star By The Neck During Real Madrid Defeat

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By
Kieran Lynch
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Kieran Lynch Sports Editor

Kieran Lynch is a sports writer specialising in football and Formula One. He is a sports journalism graduate of Leeds Trinity University and completed a Press Association NCTJ course in Newcastle. He previously worked as a news reporter for the Eastern Daily Press in Norfolk and spent five years as a sports writer at the MailOnline.

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Published17 Apr 2025

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Injured Real Madrid star Dani Carvajal grabbed Bukayo Saka during a heated half-time row during Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final victory on Wednesday night. 

The Arsenal star saw an attempted panenka saved by Thibaut Courtois during the first-half of the second-leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Carvajal, who was not in Real Madrid’s matchday squad, waited for Saka by the tunnel at half-time.

The pair initially hugged but Carvajal appeared to say something to Saka as he patted the Arsenal man on the chest.

Saka then appeared to say something back as the pair shook hands, only for Carvajal to keep hold of Saka’s hand to prevent him from walking away.

The pair continued to exchange words as Saka broke free, only for Carvajal to go back and grab the Arsenal forward by the back of the neck and point in his direction.

Saka then swatted Carvajal away before of Arsenal’s backroom staff intervened and got between the pair.

Why Dani Carvajal Was Angry With Bukayo Saka

Spanish publication Marca have reported why Dani Carvajal was angry with Bukayo Saka at half-time of Real Madrid’s Champions League defeat to Arsenal.

It’s claimed that Carvajal felt Saka was ‘disrespectful’ by taking a panenka penalty against Madrid at the Bernabeu.

That is despite Saka being left to rue the decision after seeing his penalty comfortably saved by Thibaut Courtois.

It should be noted that Carvajal did take a panenka penalty himself for Spain in a Nations League victory over Croatia back in 2023.

Reports have now suggested that Carvajal could face punishment from UEFA for his clash with Saka.

Bukayo Saka Makes Up For Penalty Miss Against Real Madrid

Bukayo Saka would put the Dani Carvajal row and penalty miss behind him.

The forward scored at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second-half to give Arsenal a 4-0 aggregate lead. Saka clipped the ball over Thibaut Courtois at the end of a flowing move.

Though Real Madrid swiftly replied on the night through Vinicius Jnr, the goal effectively killed the tie.

Real Madrid struggled to get back into the tie despite all the talk of another famous comeback, and Gabriel Martinelli sealed a win at the Bernabeu for Arsenal in stoppage time.

Arsenal will next face Paris Saint-Germain who knocked out Liverpool and Aston Villa in the previous two rounds.

What Bukayo Saka Said After Arsenal’s Victory Over Real Madrid

Bukayo Saka spoke to the press after Arsenal’s victory over Real Madrid and his row with Dani Carvajal.

Though he didn’t address the row with Carvajal, he did look back at his penalty miss.

He said: “It can happen. I tried something, but it didn’t work,” he said. “I was confident I was going to score tonight. I learn in every moment. Tonight, I am more focused on enjoying the win, and then I will review it properly.”

Boss Mikel Arteta meanwhile joked that he wanted to ‘slap’ Saka after the penalty.

When asked about the miss he said: “I didn’t want to die, but maybe I wanted to slap him. He made that decision, he was bold enough to do it, and he missed.

“I was more concerned about the emotional part. What it could do for us. The personality he showed at his age, in the first time he played in this stadium, [is] incredible.”