Arsenal 0-0 Villarreal: 5 hits and flops as Yellow Submarine enter their first-ever European final | UEFA Europa League 2020-21
Arsenal held Villarreal at the Emirates but lost out 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
The Yellow Submarine face Manchester United in the final in Gdansk on 26th May.
The Gunners were once again utterly disappointing and couldn't even manage to find that one elusive goal that would've been enough to send them through.
Despite possessing a lion's share of the ball (56% to 44%), Mikel Arteta's side struggled to break down their Spanish rivals, although Emile Smith-Rowe and Rob Holding came really close, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headed an effort against the bar.
Villarreal had their moments at the other end too but Bernd Leno made some vital saves to prevent them from extending their aggregate lead. However, it wasn't enough to keep the visitors from advancing into the showpiece clash.
Here are the hits and flops from the match:
Flop: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
He's not been at his absolute best this season. Tonight's game perfectly summed that up as the Gabonese striker produced another stinker in Arsenal's most important fixture of the season, cutting an anonymous figure in the attack.
Aubameyang was isolated upfront for most of the game and didn't make an effort to help in the build-up. His only notable moment from the game was a glancing header in the 79th minute, which came off the post and caused a nervy moment in the Villarreal box.
Hit: Raul Albiol (Villarreal)
The veteran player stepped up to the plate for the Yellow Submarine tonight, bringing his wealth of experience and leadership qualities to the fore. He was the most vocal player on the field for his side.
His best contribution on the night was clearing a loose ball inside the box from Aubameyang's header, turning up in the right place at the right time to avert a possible danger.