"Arsenal’s season has cruelly unraveled" - National media deliver verdict as Mikel Arteta and Co. crash out of Champions League
The media in England has delivered their damning verdict after Arsenal crashed out of the UEFA Champions League at the hands of German giants Bayern Munich on Wednesday night (April 17).
It was, in many ways, a shock defeat for the Gunners, as they faced a struggling Bavarian side at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The German outfit have seen a number of changes in leadership, even in the dugout, with Thomas Tuchel revealing his decision to leave at the end of the season.
Bayern Munich invited the Gunners to the Allianz Arena, mere days after they conceded the Bundesliga title to Leverkusen. It seemed as though the season, which had gotten bad for the Bavarians, would only worsen.
However, they secured a result against the Gunners, as Joshua Kimmich scored the lone goal to kick them out of the UEFA Champions League. After the game, England's media delivered their verdict, with some spelling doom for the north Londoners' trophy hopes this season.
John Cross wrote in his piece with The Mirror:
"In the space of just four days, Arsenal’s season has cruelly unraveled... How on earth Arteta now lifts his players for Saturday night’s trip to Wolves is anyone’s guess because, just 72 hours after their Champions League exit, another defeat could effectively end their title hopes."
Nick Ames wrote in the Guardian:
"Arsenal had a clear foothold in the game after producing an accomplished first half but were outplayed after the interval and left feeling distinctly flat. The fact is they departed with a whimper and it was impossible to shake the sense that, ultimately, they did not quite back themselves enough."
For the BBC, Neil Johnston wrote:
"Arsenal made a bitterly disappointing exit from the Champions League as they were beaten by Bayern Munich... Kimmich's attacking header proved decisive and ensured Arsenal's wait to win the Champions League for the first time goes on."
Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal loss in Champions League quarter-final
Gunners boss Mikel Areta spoke to the media after his side were knocked out of the Champions League by the Bundesliga giant. He explained how the players were feeling after the game and said (via The Guardian):
“At the moment, it is a gutted dressing room. We are very disappointed. We have to go through it. We tried against a team with a lot of experience. Through the tie, the margins have been very small.”
The manager now looks set to end his fourth full season at the Emirates Stadium with only an FA Cup and two Community Shield wins. The Premier League title, which the Gunners came so close to winning last season, may have just eluded them once more and they are out of Europe's continental competition.