Atletico Madrid File Complaint To UEFA After Hot Water Malfunction Before Arsenal Clash

Atletico Madrid have filed an official complaint with UEFA after being left without hot water in the dressing rooms at the Emirates Stadium following their final training session ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League showdown with Arsenal.

Spanish outlet Marca reports that Diego Simeone’s squad arrived at the North London venue around 5:30 p.m. to train under a steady drizzle, only to discover that the showers were not working. Despite informing Arsenal’s staff about the problem almost immediately, the issue was never fixed before the end of the session.

The LaLiga side was said to be taken aback that such a problem could occur at one of Europe’s most modern arenas, particularly on the eve of a major UEFA competition. Frustrated by the experience, Atletico lodged a formal protest, describing the situation as “unacceptable” for a stadium of Arsenal’s calibre.

Players and staff were forced to return to their hotel to clean up and prepare for the match, a disruption that reportedly left many within the club irritated.

While the incident created tension behind the scenes, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remained focused on football matters as he addressed reporters ahead of the game. The Spaniard played down talk that his side are now favourites to win the Premier League title after a strong run of form.

The Gunners currently sit three points clear at the top of the table, following a narrow 1-0 win over Fulham and Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United. Since their loss at Anfield in August, Arsenal have gone unbeaten in five consecutive league fixtures and eight across all competitions.

“The only thing I embrace is when I see the team, the energy, the temperature, the commitment and quality that they can deliver,” Arteta said.

“That gives me the conviction that we can go all the way. But that’s just a feeling, then the next day you have to prove it and you can’t be busy thinking about those topics. There obviously is a lot of narrative after [Liverpool lost to Manchester United]. Every game in this league is a must-win. We are very appreciative of that, so we don’t get carried away with anything.”