In the Women’s League Cup final, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes criticized Arsenal counterpart Jonas Eidevall for displaying what she termed as “male aggression” during a heated exchange with midfielder Erin Cuthbert. The incident occurred when Cuthbert approached the touchline to take a throw-in in extra time while Chelsea was trailing at Molineux.
Arsenal ultimately secured a 1-0 victory with a goal from Stina Blackstenius in the 116th minute.
Hayes expressed her disapproval of Eidevall’s behavior, stating, “I don’t think we should tolerate male aggression like we did today. Fronting up or squaring up to a player is unacceptable.”
She also mentioned that she had never received a yellow card in her 12-year career and believed that Eidevall’s actions warranted more than just a caution.
After the final whistle, Hayes appeared to push the Arsenal manager away as they shook hands, highlighting the tension between the two.
Eidevall, on the other hand, denied that his behavior was aggressive and attributed the confrontation with Cuthbert to Chelsea’s decision to use a one-ball system for the final.
He explained, “The ball goes out of play, the Chelsea player wants a new ball to take a quick throw-in and I said, ‘we play with only one ball and you guys were the ones who decided that.'”
In response to Hayes’s criticism, Eidevall stated, “I don’t think I was aggressive. I think that is irresponsible to label it as that.”
He also dismissed the accusations during his press conference, emphasizing that he did not engage in any form of physical contact with players or coaches.
Overall, the clash between the two managers added an extra layer of drama to the Women’s League Cup final, showcasing the intensity and competitiveness within the sport.
It remains to be seen if any further action will be taken regarding the incident.
