Kerkez’s Father Fires Stern Message at Gabriel Martinelli Following Conor Bradley Incident

Although the highly anticipated clash didn’t quite live up to its billing on the pitch, Arsenal’s goalless draw with Liverpool has sparked major debate off it.

The main flashpoint involved Gabriel Martinelli and Conor Bradley in the dying moments of the match.

Late on, Bradley put the ball out of play but appeared to twist his knee and went down in visible pain. Martinelli, seemingly believing the Liverpool defender was attempting to waste time, reacted poorly. The Brazilian winger tried to pull Bradley back onto the pitch, triggering angry reactions from players, supporters, and pundits alike.

The incident even drew attention away from the field, with Milos Kerkez’s father, Sebastijan, appearing to take aim at Martinelli on social media. In a now-deleted Instagram story, screenshots circulating online showed him posting a strongly worded message that read, when translated:

“Where I’m from, these things are handled a little differently. Someone teach a little basic culture before I have to.”

Gary Neville was equally incensed during live commentary, directing his anger squarely at Martinelli. The Sky Sports pundit said he was stunned that no Liverpool player had confronted the Arsenal winger, admitting he was “fuming” over the incident. However, Neville later faced backlash from fans for appearing to endorse a violent response.

Despite the widespread reaction, Liverpool boss Arne Slot sought to calm the situation. He suggested Martinelli’s actions stemmed from frustration caused by frequent time-wasting late in matches, rather than malice. Slot insisted that had Martinelli realised the severity of Bradley’s injury, he would never have behaved that way.

Martinelli has since issued a public apology, confirming he had already contacted Bradley privately. The Arsenal forward admitted he misunderstood the situation in the heat of the moment and expressed genuine remorse, wishing the Liverpool defender a speedy recovery.

As expected, no further action is anticipated from the FA beyond the booking Martinelli received during the match, with the matter now considered closed.