MUNICH (AFP) – Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal paid the price for making one big mistake as Bayern Munich’s 1-0 victory sent his side crashing out of the Champions League yesterday.
Joshua Kimmich’s second half header punished slack marking by Arsenal and ended their hopes of reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2009.
The Gunners were beaten 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-final after a 2-2 draw in the first leg in north London last week.
It was a painful experience for Arsenal boss Arteta, who bemoaned the defensive slip that proved decisive in the second leg.
“At the moment it is a gutted dressing room. I cannot find the right words to lift them. I wish I had them,” Arteta said. Arsenal’s defeat capped a brutal four days for Arteta, whose side lost pole position in the Premier League.
But the Spaniard insisted his players deserved credit for their Champions League adventure, claiming it would take time to develop the qualities required to conquer Europe.
