Published: 17 March, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

Champions League
MONACO 0, ARSENAL 2
(3-3 on aggregate – Monaco win on away goals)

AARON Ramsey admitted Arsenal wasted “a real good opportunity” to make the last eight of the Champions League after they were knocked out by Monaco last night (Tuesday).

In an all-too-familiar scenario the Gunners came within a whisker of turning what seemed a lost cause around as they won 2-0 at the Stade Louis II.

But in the end their first-leg performance cost them yet again as the 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium saw Arsene Wenger’s side dumped out of the competition on away goals.

“We always seem to play Bayern Munich or Barcelona, teams like that. With no disrespect to Monaco, but we thought we had a real good opportunity of qualifying for the next round,” said Ramsey.

“We gave ourselves a tough task following the first game. We came here and we’ve nearly done it – but that seems to be the same story every year.”

“We’ll take some positives from tonight,” added Ramsey. “We still have the FA Cup, and I’m sure there’s still some twists and turns to come in the Premier League – so we’ll keep on going.”

It’s the fifth season in a row that Arsenal have failed to make the last eight of the Champions League. They went close again, however, with an away performance that only served to frustrate the fans still reeling from the 3-1 defeat in the first leg.

Needing three unanswered away goals against the best defence in the competition, the Gunners went ahead in the 36th minute when Olivier Giroud smashed the ball home from close range.

The French striker latched on to Danny Welbeck’s through-ball only to see his shot blocked by Monaco keeper Danijel Subasic. But the ball fell kindly and Giroud reacted well to drive home the opening goal.

A lively Welbeck went close to doubling the lead on the stroke of half-time as his rasping drive was blocked by Aymen Abdennour.

Arsenal continued to push forward and were rewarded with a second goal in the 79th minute. Substitute Theo Walcott smashed the ball against the post, and with Layvin Kurzawa failing to clear fellow sub Ramsey stole in to score with a neat finish across the keeper.

There was still time for another last-gasp effort as Giroud got on the end of a free-kick, but his tame shot only served to deny the better-placed Alexis Sanchez.

ARSENAL: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal (Gibbs, 83), Cazorla, Coquelin (Ramsey, 63), Ozil, Sanchez, Welbeck (Walcott, 72), Giroud.
Substitutes not used: Szczesny, Chambers, Gabriel, Flamini.