Why Erling Haaland Does Not Regret Throwing a Ball at Gabriel's Head

Manchester City's Erling Haaland did not face any sanctions for his actions against Arsenal.

Erling Haaland (right) threw a ball at Gabriel's head when Manchester City hosted Arsenal. / IMAGO/Sportimage

Erling Haaland still has no regrets about throwing a ball at the back of Gabriel's head in the final moments of Manchester City's 2–2 draw with Arsenal.

Haaland scored the first goal in Manchester City's heated Premier League match against the Gunners, but his actions just before the final whistle were all anyone could talk about, even two weeks after the fixture.

After John Stones found City's late equalizer in the 98th minute, Haaland grabbed the ball from David Raya's goal and tossed it at the back of Gabriel's head before running to celebrate with his teammates.

Haaland was asked about the incident in a press conference while on international duty with Norway and he replied, "It was in the heat of the moment, and a lot of stuff happened in that game. Things that happen on the pitch stay there, and that's how it is."

When asked if he regretted throwing the ball at Gabriel, Haaland said, "I don't regret much in life."

The draw was the first time the defending Premier League champions dropped points in the 2024–25 season. Plenty of controversy surrounded the fixture beyond Haaland's actions, including Leandro Trossard's second yellow card for kicking the ball away.

The drama on the pitch even spilled over after the final whistle. Haaland got into a heated exchange with Mikel Arteta and told the Arsenal manager to "stay humble."

The striker did not face any extra sanctions from the FA in the days following the incident.

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