Bukayo Saka breaks silence on bizarre Conor McGregor incident that led to Arsenal investigation
McGregor had interactions with Saka and Declan Rice on the Emirates Stadium pitch last week.
Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka has broken his silence on the bizarre sparring incident between himself and Conor McGregor at the Emirates Stadium last week.
UFC star McGregor made his way onto the field following Arsenal's 2-0 win over PSG in the Champions League and was filmed interacting with both Saka and Declan Rice.
McGregor exchanged passes with the two Arsenal stars before pretending to throw kicks and punches at Saka in a joking manner. The MMA legend was also filmed reacting with surprise when he heard that Rice used to play International football for Ireland.
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The incident is thought to have upset higher-ups at Arsenal, with reports indicating that the club is investigating the incident.
Arsenal supporters were furious over the incident, but Saka smoothed things over by sharing on Instagram that it was 'good to meet' Conor McGregor and assured there was 'no harm done' following their 'friendly spar'. The MMA star might have mingled with Gunners at Emirates Stadium, yet he's a self-proclaimed Manchester United supporter.
During an interview with FIFA in 2021, McGregor expressed his loyalty: "I was more a player than a watcher back then, but Manchester United was my team. I was attracted to the success and winning mentality of the club and people surrounded by United. Irish legends like Denis Irwin and Roy Keane were dedicated to their craft and had that winning mentality. Roy Keane was one of the best midfielders European football has ever seen. Opponents would be mentally beaten before they'd even stepped on to the pitch to face him. Then they had the don of football at the helm, the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson."
McGregor hasn't stepped into the Octagon since his defeat to Dustin Poirier in 2021 and although a comeback against Michael Chandler was on the cards earlier this year, an injury sidelined those plans. UFC boss Dana White has full confidence in McGregor's return in 2025, stating when questioned about his comeback: "Yes. I wasn't 100 per cent in 2024, but I am in 2025. I just am. I know more than you guys know. I'm 100 per cent confident McGregor will fight next year."
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