adminATHENS. — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hailed Olivier Giroud’s “perfect performance” as the French striker’s hat-trick completed a remarkable escape act in the Champions League soccer on Wednesday night.
Wenger also said Arsenal produced a “complete team performance” against Olympiakos to seal qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Arsenal needed an emphatic win to leapfrog Olympiakos into second place in Group F and reach the competition’s last 16 and had Giroud to thank for leading the cavalry charge in a 3-0 romp.
The striker opened the scoring with a superb header in the first half, swept home to double the lead early in the second and scored from the penalty spot to complete a resounding win.
Wenger was quick to pay tribute to Giroud, who stepped up manfully to the role of being Arsenal’s go-to man in the absence of the injured Alexis Sanchez.
“Giroud’s performance was perfect,” Wenger told reporters.
“He showed skill and character… I always said he has something special on that front and he showed that again against Olympiakos.”
Giroud admitted it was a mixture of joy and relief for Arsenal after their Champions League heroics.
The French striker was rightly delighted with his and the team’s performance in Athens and is now targeting a quarter-final place “at least”.
He said on BT Sport: “It’s fantastic for me and for the team. We are really pleased.
“It’s nice to go through because we were not in a good position and finally we have done it. We feel relieved tonight.
“In the Champions League it’s one level up and we need to be all focused.
“As a unit, together, good cohesion, defending well and finishing well. It’s nice for us.
“It was not so easy in this stadium with this atmosphere and we are really pleased to have done it.
“We want to go as far as we can. The target is to maybe reach at least the quarter-final.
“It’s the fourth year I’m here and we have never played a quarter-final.
“We will have a good rest and open the new page of the Champions League in February.”
Joel Campbell is also making the most of his chance in the first team, according to Wenger.
The 23-year-old joined Arsenal from Costa Rican side Saprissa in 2011 but was shunted around from club to club before injuries handed him a chance to impress.
He has made 12 appearances in all competitions this season and sparkled in Wednesday night’s crucial Champions League win at former club Olympiakos.
Wenger was pleased with what he saw and reckons Campbell is improving with each game.
“A former player for Olympiakos was firstly a former player of Arsenal,” the Gunners boss said. — Reuters
Online Reporter