FA fines Arsenal coach, Unai Emery for kicking bottle

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Unai Emery has been fined £8,000 by the Football Association after he admitted improper conduct during Arsenal’s game against Brighton for kicking a bottle towards a fan.

The Arsenal head coach was charged last week over the incident which happened late on in their Boxing Day draw against Brighton at the Amex Stadium and was not included in the officials’ match report.

Emery immediately apologised to the supporter after seeing the bottle had gone into the stands and subsequently repeated his regret at a pre-match news conference last week.

The FA statement read: “Arsenal Manager Unai Emery has been fined £8,000 after he admitted an FA improper conduct charge and accepted the standard penalty.

“It concerned his conduct during the game against Brighton on 26 December 2018.”

Emery said after the match he was hopeful an apology would be the end of the matter but later added he would respect any decision the FA made.

He said: “I repeat my apologies for my individual action but I kick the bottle because it is near me, not because it is my intention.

“But I have to respect the decision because it is a circumstance of my action but not another intention from me with the supporter. I say to them my apology.”