Arthur has asked for forgiveness for going to Neymar’s birthday party in Paris the day before Barcelona were set to play el clásico in the Copa del Rey. Arthur was already in pain, but traveled anyway. The next day, he played against Real Madrid in a 1-1 first leg draw, but he reported ending the match with a muscle injury that made him unavailable at a crucial juncture of the season.
“I believe that I made a mistake going to the party,” he said in a pre-match press conference. “It was something I really wanted to do, but I assume the responsibility.