Alejandro Garnacho is slammed for ‘childish, baby-level’ behaviour as a former Arsenal man fumes at how he scuffed the penalty spot – amid calls for punishment – before Andre Onana saved Man United
Former Arsenal midfielder Kim Kallstrom has criticized Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho for his behavior leading up to FC Copenhagen’s missed penalty in the Red Devils’ 1-0 victory in the Champions League on Tuesday.
During the final minute of the match at Old Trafford, the Danish side was awarded a penalty after Scott McTominay committed a foul, providing Jordan Larsson with the opportunity to secure a last-minute draw.
However, Larsson’s shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana, who dived to his left, preserving Manchester United’s narrow 1-0 lead and keeping their Champions League campaign alive.
Video footage revealed that Garnacho had deliberately stepped on the penalty spot with both feet while referee Marco Guida was occupied dealing with the protesting United players.
Kallstrom, who was working as a pundit for Swedish network TV4 Play, expressed strong disapproval of Garnacho’s actions.
Footage showed Alejandro Garnacho scuffing the spot ahead of Copenhagen’s penalty
Garnacho’s conduct was slammed by former Arsenal midfielder Kim Kallstrom on television
Andre Onana made a decisive save against Jordan Larsson, securing a crucial victory for Manchester United. The incident unfolded during a live TV appearance with Laura Woods and Erik ten Hag, which turned into a nightmare for Woods.
Kim Kallstrom, the former Swedish international who had a loan spell at Arsenal in 2014, criticized Garnacho for his “childish” behavior. Expressen reported Kallstrom’s comments, stating, “What an ugly type… Ahh, I don’t know… That’s so childish. It’s such a baby level.”
Presenter Olof Lundh suggested that Garnacho should face consequences for his actions, a sentiment echoed by many. Interestingly, both Erik ten Hag and Jacob Neestrup, the managers of Manchester United and Copenhagen respectively, were unaware of Garnacho’s actions.
“I didn’t see it. The referee probably didn’t see it either. I don’t know,” said Ten Hag in an interview with TNT Sports.
Onana’s crucial penalty save secured a 1-0 victory for Manchester United, significantly boosting their chances of advancing to the knockout stages of the Champions League. The save also provided a much-needed confidence boost for Onana, who had a challenging start to his Manchester United career following his £47 million transfer from Inter Milan during the summer.
Former Arsenal midfielder Kim Kallstrom (left) criticized Garnacho, describing his behavior as “baby level.”
In another turn of events, a much-criticized Manchester United player emerged as the hero of the night. Harry Maguire scored the solitary goal of the match, heading home a cross from Christian Eriksen in the 72nd minute.
After the game, the England international expressed that it felt like fate for him to score the winning goal, considering the challenging year he had experienced at the club.
Maguire emphasized that the evening belonged to a former Manchester United legend, as the team paid tribute to the late Sir Bobby Charlton.
Manchester United currently sits in third place in their group, accumulating three points. However, they are now just one point behind second-placed Galatasaray.