EFL hits back at Arteta after his complains about the match-ball saying that every team plays with the same ball.
EFL has defended the ball being used in this year’s Carabao Cup in response to Mikel Arteta complaining that it “flies differently” after Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday.
Despite having 23 shots, three of which were on goal, Arsenal lost the first leg of their semi-final match at Emirates Stadium 2-0. Arteta proposed that because the Puma-made ball differs from the Nike balls used in the Premier League, it might have contributed to their loss.
“We kicked a lot of balls over the bar. It’s tricky that these balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better,” he said. “It’s very different to a Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies differently. When you touch it the grip is very different as well, so you adapt to that.”
The EFL said on Wednesday “all clubs play with the same ball” and that it had not received any similar complaints. “As is required throughout the professional game. The Puma ball used in this season’s Carabao Cup and in EFL competition since 2021-22 is tested in accordance with the Fifa Quality Programme for Footballs, and meets the Fifa Quality Pro standard. In addition to the Carabao Cup, the same ball has been successfully used in other major European leagues. This is including both Serie A and La Liga and our three divisions in the EFL. All clubs play with the same ball. And we have received no further comments of this nature following any of the previous 88 fixtures which have taken place in this season’s Carabao Cup.”
After striking a lucrative deal to replace Nike. Puma is expected to take over as the official Premier League ball manufacturer starting in the upcoming season.
When Pep Guardiola was Manchester City’s assistant in 2017. Arteta was upset about the Mitre balls being used in the Carabao Cup. This after the team had defeated Wolves on penalties in the round of 16.
“It is not acceptable, the ball was unacceptable for a high-level competition,” Guardiola said. “It is too light, it moves all over the place, it is not a good ball. It’s impossible to score with a ball like that. I can say that because we won, I’m not making excuses.”