Arsenal outcast Guendouzi admits 'bad reaction' when he grabbed Maupay

Arsenal outcast Matteo Guendouzi admits he had a ‘bad reaction’ when he grabbed Neal Maupay by the THROAT and taunted ‘s***’ Brighton players over his £40,000-a-week wages… but midfielder insists he is ‘not malicious’ and is just ‘obsessed’ with winning

• Matteo Guendouzi was caught up in controversy against Brighton last season
• The midfielder grabbed Neal Maupay by the throat and taunted rival players
• Guendouzi has defended his actions, claiming he was frustrated at the Amex
• Frenchman insists he was ‘not malicious’ and ‘maybe’ shouldn’t have done it
• Guendouzi was sent on loan to Hertha Berlin amid concerns over his attitude 

Matteo Guendouzi has defended himself for grabbing Brighton’s Neal Maupay by the throat last season, insisting his ‘bad reaction’ was down to his obsession with winning.

The hot-headed Arsenal star was criticised after the incident in June, but escaped both a red card and an FA charge despite chaotic scenes at the final whistle of the Gunners’ 2-1 defeat.

Sportsmail also revealed that Guendouzi, who earns around £40,000 a week, had taunted Brighton’s players over the disparity in wages between the two squads.

Matteo Guendouzi has defended his decision to grab Neal Maupay by the throat last season

The Frenchman was accused of calling Seagulls stars ‘s***’ throughout the game at the Amex before becoming involved in a physical altercation with Maupay.

Asked about grabbing the striker by the throat, Guendouzi, who fell out of favour with Mikel Arteta after the incident and was shipped out on loan to Hertha Berlin last summer, has insisted his behaviour was ‘not malicious’.

‘It was a gesture that I should have maybe not done,’ he admitted to France Football.

‘It might have shocked a few people, yes, but you know, in the Champions League or in a local match, during the games, there is always a lot of frustration.

Guendouzi also taunted Brighton players over their wages during the clash at the Amex

‘We always want to win. And, during bad results, or injustices or things said on the pitch that you sometimes don’t like, you can, sometimes, have bad reactions.

‘There are things like that, five or six times per match. It is not malicious. 

‘There was not a problem with the FA, I was never suspended. It is always in the obsession around winning, to help your team.’

In the same interview, Guendouzi admitted that this summer’s transfer window would be a ‘decisive moment’ in his career.

Arsenal are open to selling the midfielder, who will have just a year left on his contract at the end of the season, amid ongoing concerns over his attitude.

However, Guendouzi has vowed to ‘give everything for the club, fans, team, and staff’ and ‘work hard for the shirt as I have always done’ should he remain at the Emirates for the final year of his deal.

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