Bayern Munich 0-2 Arsenal (agg. 3-3) – Bayern win on away goals
Wenger reacts:
on the performance…
We went close and I am very proud of the team. As well I am very disappointed for anyone who follows Arsenal that we could not get that third goal. There was room to score. When you look at the game tonight you have many regrets from the first game. Qualifying is 180 minutes and in the first 90 we were not at our best. I believe that it was very feasible to knock out Bayern. We got that feeling when we watched the first game again. We had a plan that we respected tonight, it went for us on some occasions but at least we have shown that we have the quality to be there.
on the timing of the second goal..
The second goal came too late. But we had a few chances with Gervinho and Cazorla and Giroud missed a pass when he was completely on his own [after] Jenkinson found [him]. We played very high up, we tried to block them and [make them] play through our lines. They defended well and for me they are a defensive side. We lost some balls that we are not used to losing. Honestly I don’t think that we got the fouls. We had not the same opinion as the referee on some situations.
on the defence…
Our defence played well. Mertesacker, Gibbs, Koscielny, Jenkinson and the keeper all had good games. We always looked in control and solid. You cannot restrict a team like Bayern to no chances.
on the early goal…
I was thinking how Bayern would respond to that. Will they panic? Did we just surprise them? Will we be under pressure? They had a good response. We did not create much in the first half. There was more room to create in the second half.
on going out…
It is a bit similar to last year when we missed the first 90 minutes in Milan and nearly qualified with our backs to the wall in the second 90. That is the regret. It is not tonight but the first game at the Emirates. You could see the weight of that third goal.
on performing well with the pressure off…
We were under pressure tonight. A bad performance would have been terrible for the morale of the team and for pride aswell. The regret is that there is potential in the team and we are out.
on leaving out Vermaelen…
I don’t want to explain too much. It is possible he will play at Swansea. We have tomorrow and Friday yet. I have to see how everyone recovers. We rotate a little bit at the back at the moment.
on no English team in the last eight…
It is a massive disappointment for English football. It is a massive wake-up call for us when you think we had Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal all out by the quarter final. It is a long time [since] this happened. It means the rest of European football has caught back on us and we have to take that into consideration when we think about the future of the Prmier League
on if Fabianski will become No 1…
You are never No 1 forever and you are not on one game as well. He did well and you can only congratulate him.
