adminMUNICH. — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger blamed Wojciech Szczesny’s first-leg red card for the Gunners’ Champions League soccer last 16 exit and slammed Arjen Robben for provoking the red card as the Gunners bowed out at Bayern Munich.Holders Bayern Munich booked their place in the Champions League’s quarter-finals, despite Arsenal earning a 1-1 draw in Bavaria in Tuesday’s last 16, second-leg clash.
A second-half Bastian Schweinsteiger goal gave Bayern a brief lead before Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski equalised with a thunderbolt of a shot as the tie finished 3-1 on aggregate.
Arsenal failed to overturn their 2-0 deficit from the first leg three weeks ago, which still riles Wenger.
The Gunners finished with 10 men in London after Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli sent off Gunners goalkeeper Szczesny for conceding a spot-kick with a foul on Robben.
“Overall in the two games what made the difference was the decision to send our goalkeeper off,” said Wenger. “I felt it was not a red card as simple as that. Robben is very good at getting something out of nothing, he’s a good diver, but that’s part of his game.
“I have to congratulate the (Arsenal) players for their heart and effort. We wanted to come out of that tie qualified, but we came up short.
“Good luck to Bayern, but I think they are a bit more vulnerable than last season.”
Robben angrily rebuked Wenger’s diving claims. The Bayern Munich winger told Wenger to “stop complaining” after the Arsenal boss accused him of being a “good diver”.
Robben earned a penalty for his side when he went to ground under a challenge from Laurent Koscielny late in the Gunner’s 1-1 draw in Munich on Tuesday night – a result which confirmed their exit from the Champions League last-16. — AFP.
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