Arsenal hang on to see off Greek revival

ARSENAL have an unhealthy habit of making life unnecessarily difficult for themselves. This was no different. Through they went eventually to the Europa League quarter-finals, gaining revenge against the side who knocked them out of the competition last season.

But it was job done only just and after a genuine scare, losing once again at home to Olympiacos after conceding a self-inflicted goal and passing up a string of chances, including a hat-trick of misses from returning captain PierreEmerick Aubameyang.

Arsenal endured a night that was far more tense than it really needed to be or should have been against the Greek side, who ended with 10 men, given the number of opportunities they created. They will have to be significantly better to go further in this competition.

Manager Mikel Arteta said: ‘I’m really happy to be through but we were nowhere near the levels that we have to set ourselves. We made it really difficult.’

Arsenal had Aubameyang back after he was dropped for the north London derby for arriving late and a two-goal lead from the first leg.

But they faced a side who had won on their previous two trips to the Emirates, including last season’s last-16 tie, which sent Arsenal out on away goals.

One long punt from visiting goalkeeper Jose Sa cleared Arsenal’s defence and put Youssef El-Arabi, a scorer in his last two games against the Gunners, through on goal. But Bernd Leno held his nerve and deflected the ball over off his knee.

Aubameyang, who missed a last-gasp chance to send Arsenal through last season, then fired over on his first attempt to make amends a year later.

‘I hope the weekend isn’t still on his mind,’ said Arteta. ‘We moved on, he started and we expect when he does play he performs at the level he can.’

Despite the mammoth task facing them, Olympiacos’s start to the second half made it clear they had not given up. Kostas Fortounis and former Watford defender Jose Holebas went close before the Greeks got the goal that gave them belief.

Dani Ceballos was dispossessed by Yann M’Vila, sparking a counter that ended with El-Arabi beating Leno with a deflected effort.

Game on? The Olympiacos camp in the stands, who kicked every ball and were so boisterous they got a ticking off from the fourth official, thought so.

And while Arsenal continued to miss chances though Nicolas Pepe, twice, Martin Odegaard and Aubameyang, they still had hope.

But that went with defender Ousseynou Ba, who was shown two yellows in quick succession for fouling Gabriel Martinelli and then throwing the ball at the referee as he was being booked.

Ba’s night ended with him crying in the tunnel, and thanks to their first-leg efforts, Arsenal just about avoided the same fate.