Arsenal's Bellerin slams Daily Mail as 'click baiters'

Hector Bellerin and Alexandre Lacazette

Hector Bellerin has hit out at the Daily Mail after the UK newspaper claimed the Arsenal defender was involved in a training ground bust-up with team-mate Alexandre Lacazette.

The Mail published an online article on Wednesday covering the Gunners' open training session ahead of the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

The report suggested Bellerin and Lacazette "squared up to each other" having clashed when contesting a high ball and featured pictures of their apparent confrontation.

However, the Spain right-back tweeted to dismiss the notion of a rift between himself and the former Lyon striker and had little doubt over the Mail's motive.

"It's called banter you click baiters," Bellerin wrote in a tweet posting a link to the article.

It's called banter you click baiters. https://t.co/ew4rYXgzkx

— Héctor Bellerín (@HectorBellerin) April 25, 2018

It is not the first time the former Barcelona youngster has voiced objections to coverage of Arsenal during a turbulent campaign at Emirates Stadium.

In February, Bellerin questioned the motivations of outspoken contributors to YouTube channel ArsenalFanTV.

"It's so wrong for someone who claims to be a fan and their success is fed off a failure. How can that be a fan?" he said during an appearance at the Oxford Union.

"I think they're just people hustling, trying to make money their way."