Hector Bellerin admits Arsenal fan abuse taught him to 'man up' ahead of FA Cup final with Chelsea

Hector Bellerin has admitted he was forced to “man up” after the chastening abuse directed at him and the rest of Arsenal’s players this season.

The 22-year-old took the brunt of his own fans’ frustration during the dreadful 3-0 defeat away to Crystal Palace, which ultimately cost them a place in the Premier League top four for the first time in 20 years.

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When taking a throw-in near the away support at Selhurst Park, furious supporters screamed he was not fit to wear the shirt while there were similarly distasteful scenes outside the ground after the game as the players boarded the team bus.

But Bellerin, who is expected to start the FA Cup final against Chelsea on Saturday, holds no grudges against the fans that berated him and insisted it is all a part of being a professional footballer.

“It's something you've got to deal with,” Bellerin told the Daily Mail. “When you win you're going to get fans chanting your name and when you don't do great they're going to give you stick.

“Fans were coming to me after saying: ‘Hector, it wasn't directed at you, it was the whole team, you were there because you had a throw-in and the situation put you there.’

“But, whatever way, it is part of football and I understand. I am a football fan, I've watched football my whole life. When my favourite team didn't do well I'd get angry.

“In that sense, I understand the fans in that situation. They need to pour their anger on me. Fair play. In that game, for example, I wasn't playing at my top level. I need to man up and deal with it.

“You get the perks of football and the cons. That's one of the things that's going to happen. When you're angry you can say something you don't mean. Everyone's got their opinion and sometimes it's going to hurt.”