"We still have something beautiful to fight for" - Martin Odegaard sends message to Arsenal fans after UCL knockout
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has urged his teammates and the club's fans to be optimistic about the remainder of the Premier League season. His comments come after the Gunners bowed out of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) following a 3-2 aggregate loss against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
Odegaard took to Instagram to send his message across, urging fans and players to 'lift each other up' and remain optimistic. His post read:
"Tough one to take for all of us... But we still have something beautiful to fight for. Let's lift each other up and we go again. Thanks for all the messages and your support. Means a lot."
The Gunners played out a 2-2 draw against Bayern at the Emirates Stadium, a game in which both the goals they conceded were results of mistakes. Arsenal were not clinical in the second leg either as Gabriel Martinelli squandered a big chance to put his team ahead in the first half.
Their woes were compounded with a 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa in the Premier League between the two Champions League games. Arsenal looked short of ideas for most of the game and conceded two late goals, and thus gave up first spot in the table to Manchester City.
The Gunners have 71 points from 32 games, with City two ahead on 73 having played the same number of games. Both sides can ill afford to drop any more points with Liverpool breathing down their necks in third place with 71 points, only placed lower because of an inferior goal difference.
Former Arsenal man Granit Xhaka sends positive message to the club
Former Arsenal captain and midfielder Granit Xhaka sent a message of encouragement to his former teammates. He spoke to the media ahead of Bayer Leverkusen's Europa League clash against West Ham United and delivered the message.
Xhaka said:
"This is part of the game. I think 10 or 11 games unbeaten and you lose one game, doesn't mean you lost everything already. Six games left in the Premier League, still a big chance to win the league.
"I wish them all the best for sure, because I'm still supporting them, still in contact with the staff and players and still watching the games."
The reporter then mentioned the Arsenal squad being young and upcoming, asking Xhaka's opinion on whether they can win a trophy soon. He replied:
"I hope so. I hope so because the team, the staff and the football club deserve to win trophies."
Granit Xhaka made 297 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 23 goals and providing 29 assists. He is a two-time FA Cup winner with the club.