REVEALED: The offensive Spanish phrase which Mikel Arteta is accused of using towards Porto manager Sergio Conceicao, who claims Arsenal boss ‘insulted my family’

Mikel Arteta has been accused of using an offensive phrase in Spanish that Porto manager Sergio Conceicao interpreted as a reference to his late mother during Arsenal’s difficult Champions League victory last night.

The Portuguese coach appeared to clash with Arteta immediately after the penalty shoot-out at the Emirates Stadium and shortly afterwards stated in a press conference that he “insulted my family”.

Arteta has denied insulting Conceicao or his family, but a source close to Conceicao told Mail Sport that the Spaniard used the phrase ‘Concha de tu madre’.

The literal translation in English is ‘your mother’s shell’, but in Spanish-speaking countries it is widely understood to be an insulting reference to the female vagina. The source also claimed that Arteta’s outburst was clearly heard by Conceicao’s coaching staff and by Porto’s substitutes on the bench.

Arsenal have given strong support to Arteta and questioned whether there is any evidence he has used any insulting language.

Arteta denies insulting Conceicao or his family despite the Porto coach’s claims

Sources close to Conceicao have told Mail Sport that the Spaniard used a phrase that in Spanish-speaking countries is understood as an insulting reference to the female vagina.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Conceicao has a history of making accusations against rival managers after Porto defeats, having previously clashed with Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola following Champions League matches against Chelsea and Manchester City in 2021 and 2020 respectively.

In an interview with Portuguese television after the match, Conceicao explained Arteta’s alleged insult. “During the game he addressed the bench in Spanish,” Conceicao said.

‘He insulted my family and in the end I told him ‘be careful’, because whoever insulted is no longer with us. He should worry about training his team more and better because he has a lot of individual quality to do so.”

Conceicao’s parents died when he was a teenager, and his father died in a motorcycle accident the day after he signed his first playing contract at the age of 16. His mother died two years later due to long-term health problems that left her confined to a wheelchair for long periods.

As one of eight siblings, Conceicao and his family grew up in difficult economic circumstances before establishing himself as a top winger with Porto, Lazio and Inter Milan, and his upbringing explained his anger at the Emirates.

Arteta refused to comment on Conceicao’s accusations after the match – “No comment, thank you very much,” he said – but told club staff that he did not insult his counterpart.

Conceicao recently shared a photo of his mother, who passed away when he was just 18 years old.

Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel accused of telling Conceicao to fuck off in 2021

Conceicao confronted Tuchel following a Champions League quarter-final defeat to Chelsea three years ago, after which he claimed the Chelsea manager told him to “fuck off” after the final whistle. A Chelsea spokesperson responded by saying: “This accusation is complete nonsense.”

The previous year, Conceicao had also made accusations about Guardiola’s behavior during a Champions League group defeat to City at a time when Arteta was on his coaching staff. “I have a lot to learn from Pep Guardiola, in the way he puts pressure on the referees, he talks to the opposing players and the opposing bench,” Conceicao said.

It’s a fantastic example. I have to learn this. We were angels compared to the other shelter. She spoke about our country with ugly words. “Guardiola’s attitude was extremely unpleasant.”