EFL defends Carabao Cup ball after Arteta blames it for Arsenal’s semi-final loss

The English Football League (EFL) has defended the Puma match ball used in the Carabao Cup, after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made comments following his team's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the semi-final.

Arteta suggested the unfamiliarity of the ball contributed to his players' missed chances and affected their accuracy.

Despite dominating the match with 23 shots, Arsenal could not score, and Arteta attributed the team's struggles partly to the Puma ball, claiming it felt different from the Nike match ball used in the Premier League.

In response, the EFL strongly refuted Arteta's claims, stating the ball is tested by the FIFA Quality Programme and meets the FIFA Quality Pro standard.

In a statement, the EFL said: "As required throughout professional football, the PUMA ball used in this season’s Carabao Cup and in EFL competitions since the 2021/22 season has been tested by the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs and meets the FIFA Quality Pro standard. Furthermore, this ball has been successfully used in other major European leagues, including Serie A, La Liga, and our three divisions in the EFL."

The EFL also highlighted all clubs in the competition use the same ball and noted there have been no complaints regarding the ball's performance in any of the 88 fixtures played in the Carabao Cup this season.

Experts in sports technology have also weighed in on the issue. Professor Andy Harland, Director of the Sports Technology Institute at Loughborough University, explained differences between balls are to be expected but should not hinder elite players.

"All manufacturers make their balls from different materials and using different manufacturing methods. This means there will be subtle differences that can certainly be measured in controlled environments. This means it is likely that players will indeed notice differences between balls during play," he said.

“Some players are exposed to different balls more frequently. Presumably, they spend time training and acclimatising to different balls, but they may not. The fact that balls are different doesn’t make one ball better than another - they all meet the standard."

Professor Harland also compared football to other sports where adapting to different conditions is a fundamental part of the game.

"If you compare to other sports - cricket, tennis - there is a more open consideration for overcoming different conditions balls. A true world-class player might be expected to excel using different balls. This is less overt in the analysis of footballers," he said.

"Plenty of players and managers complain about balls along with many other things. Not many do so after they have won!"

Arteta’s comments are part of a broader trend, as managers have previously expressed frustration over differences in match balls. Notably, in 2017, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola similarly complained the variations in balls used for the Caraboa Cup to those used in the Premier League.

While Arteta's frustration is understandable given his team's disappointing performance, the EFL’s stance suggests that the Puma ball is fit for purpose and Arsenal's loss may be attributed to factors beyond the equipment.

As the debate unfolds, fans and pundits will likely ponder whether the ball had any impact on Arsenal’s defeat, or if it was merely a result of missed opportunities in a crucial semi-final match.

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