adminPARIS. — Monaco were fortunate to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Tuesday after his team’s 2-0 win at Louis II was not enough to make up for their first-leg loss.
Monaco won 3-1 at the Emirates three weeks ago but were overwhelmed by a dominant Arsenal side in the return although the visitors paid the price for wasting several good chances.
“We knew that it would be tough to score three goals but we did not seize our opportunities,” Wenger told BeIN Sport.
“It’s not a question of merit, it’s a question of being efficient. We also made psychological errors in the first leg. Monaco were fortunate, we must congratulate them.”
However, Arsenal’s Germany defender Pert Mertesacker was critical of his team and thought Monaco deserved to advance because of their performance in London.
“The best team went through. Monaco deserved it because they played much better in the first leg. We played well today but it was a massive deficit, and it wasn’t enough tonight,” he said.
“We came here and tried absolutely everything, and when you look at the game we could have scored more than two. Monaco deserve it and that’s absolutely fine. “They caused a lot of problems away from home. We have to admit that we regret the first game.
“But if we continue to play like that we’ll do well in the FA Cup and the (Premier) league. But play as badly as we did in the first game and you’re out of the Champions League.”
Arsenal went ahead in the 36th minute when Olivier Giroud fired into the roof of the net and second-half substitute Aaron Ramsey doubled the tally 11 minutes from time with a low shot.
Ramsey insists Arsenal’s season is not over despite being knocked out of the Champions League.
The Gunners went out on away goals after a 1-3 defeat at the Emirates and Tuesday night’s 0-2 win at Stad Louis II.
But Ramsey, who struck Arsenal’s second goal, says there’s plenty for Gunners fans to be excited about in the remaining weeks of the season.
It was the fifth time in a row Arsenal were knocked out in the second round of the Champions League but after being drawn against Monaco they were expected to go further this year.
“Yes I think so,” Ramsey said when asked if the defeat was tough to take.
“We have always played teams like Bayern Munich and Barcelona and no disrespect to Monaco we thought we’d have a good opportunity to qualify but we gave ourselves a tough test to do from the first game.
“We have come here and nearly done it which seems to be the case every year.”
Arsenal face Reading in the FA Cup semi-final, while they are seven points behind Chelsea in the Premier League having played a game more.
But Ramsey thinks there’s still a long way to go and is still optimistic. “We will take some positives from it,” he added, “and we still have the FA Cup and I’m sure there will be more twists and turns in the Premier League.” — AFP.
Online Reporter