Braga defender: Vela took a dive

Braga defender: Vela took a dive  | read this item

Sporting Braga defender Elderson has accused Arsenal forward Carlos Vela of diving in the controversial play that has become the talking point of the Gunners’ 2-0 defeat in Portugal.

The result, which leaves Arsenal with everything to play for in their last group stage fixture at home to Partizan Belgrade, caused manager Arsene Wenger to question the need for as many as five referees in an officiating system that he went on to label as ‘useless’.

After all, in addition to denying his side the clear penalty call for a blatant foul on Vela, the officials also chose not to punish Braga’s tough tackling ways that left Ivory Coast winger Emmanuel Eboue with a desperate need to be stretchered off the field.

In an interview with The Sun, Elderson has defended the decision to award Vela a yellow card for play-acting as he felt that the Mexican forward lost his balance even before touching the ball.

“It was definitely a dive. I was really close to it and before he touched the ball Vela was already going over,” the 22-year old Nigerian international claimed.

With that result, the Gunners find themselves in a spot of bother in the Champions League, so look over a bookmaker review today and bet on Arsenal’s European dreams.

The Gunners will be visiting the Midlands to face Aston Villa in Saturday’s early kick-off without the services of skipper Cesc Fabregas, who also limped out of the defeat to Braga midway through the second half.

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