This was a desolate night for Arsenal and the consequences may be far-reaching. They had been taken to extra-time by Olympiakos’s Pape Abou Cissé but, true to form, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came up with a breathtaking finish that sparked wild celebrations and seemed to bail out a listless display. Mikel Arteta’s players then learned that you cannot always get away with it: Youssef El Arabi’s 119th minute winner dumped them out of the Europa League and ensured an outstanding domestic run will be required in order to offer any hope of a return to the top table in May. The temptation, before a ball had been kicked, was to suggest a large element of the doubt surrounding this tie’s outcome had already been eliminated. Olympiakos are awkward opponents on their own turf but Alexandre Lacazette’s late goal in Piraeus had negotiated that hurdle and the Greek Super League leaders have questionable form for upsetting the odds when visiting clubs from Europe’s traditional strongholds. Continue reading...
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