Arsenal star in response to Ornstein claim on training fight

Matt Stead

David Ornstein has reported on a training-ground incident involving Arsenal teammates David Luiz and Dani Ceballos – which the latter has promptly denied.

Ornstein claimed an Athletic exclusive on Thursday, writing about ‘tensions’ during Arsenal training last week.

In a session on Friday, and with the defeat to Aston Villa still fresh in the minds, Luiz is claimed to ‘have struck Ceballos on the nose’ after taking ‘exception’ to a tackle from the midfielder towards the end of a practice session.


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Ceballos was reportedly scratched and bled from the nose before ‘teammates and staff stepped in to diffuse the scuffle’.

But the Spaniard took to Twitter with a simple denial.

The article adds that Luiz and Ceballos ‘were sent home’ after the incident before being called into the dressing room ‘to clear the air’ the following Tuesday.

Both players apologised to one another and the rest of the squad, then took part in a ‘positive’ training session with a ‘competitiveness’ that ‘is ultimately what Arteta wants’ if it can be used properly.

Arsenal return to Premier League action against Leeds on Sunday in the hope of getting their seasons back on track after the Villa loss.

It was their third league setback in four games after defeats to Leicester and Manchester City, with the win over Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier this month the exception.

Arteta admitted earlier this week that his side are “a long way” from where he wants to take them in this “process”.

“We have to settle and everyone has to realise where we are now, but I see the future as really bright,” he said.

“I am a really positive person and I tend to learn much more when things don’t go well and we have a defeat like we had the other day that really hurt after the performance we had at Old Trafford.”

Just about all of the greatest uncapped Premier League players ever were pursued by England. And only four of them were English.