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Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal is facing possible disciplinary action from UEFA following a heated half-time confrontation with Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka during Wednesday night’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Bernabéu.
Carvajal, currently sidelined with an ACL injury, was not part of the matchday squad but was seen descending from the stands to the tunnel at half-time. As the players made their way off the pitch, the Spanish veteran appeared to confront Saka, placing a hand on the back of the England international’s neck. When Saka shrugged him off, Carvajal reacted by grabbing him again, prompting a swift intervention from staff and teammates — including Arsenal substitute Ben White, who stepped in to deescalate the situation.
The confrontation is believed to have been sparked by Carvajal's frustration over Saka’s attempted Panenka penalty in the first half — a cheeky chip that was easily saved by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Spanish outlet Marca reported that Carvajal saw the move as disrespectful, especially given Madrid were already trailing 3-0 on aggregate from the first leg.
Despite the miss, Arsenal kept their cool. Saka later redeemed himself with a deft finish in the second half, briefly putting Arsenal ahead on the night before goals from Vinícius Jr. and Gabriel Martinelli sealed a 2-1 win in the return leg and a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory for the Gunners, sending them into a rare Champions League semi-final meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.
As Carvajal was not authorized to be in the technical area or tunnel, UEFA rules could now come into play. The situation echoes a similar incident in 2014 involving Xabi Alonso, who was suspended for celebrating on the touchline while banned. UEFA subsequently issued him a suspension for the following Super Cup match.
This latest clash wasn’t the first bit of bad blood between Carvajal and Saka. The duo had a fiery history dating back to the Euro 2024 final, where Carvajal famously mocked Saka with “crying” gestures following a foul.
Post-match, Saka played down the tunnel incident and focused on Arsenal’s achievement. “I tried something with the penalty and it didn’t work, but I stayed confident,” he told TNT Sports. Manager Mikel Arteta quipped about the miss: “I would have liked to slap him,” before praising Saka’s response and resilience.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash / Guido Coppa, Instagram / @arsenal
