Gunners finish as surprise winners

BASEL 1 ARSENAL 4

Arsenal head into next Monday’s Champions League round of 16 draw with no regrets after Lucas Perez’s hat-trick secured a superb win in Basle to see Arsene Wenger’s side finish as surprise winners of Group A.

Wenger gave his side just a 10% chance of advancing top of the group but that is exactly what happened as rivals Paris St Germain only drew at home to Ludogorets to open the door for the Gunners – and they forced their way through it with an emphatic 4-1 win in freezing conditions.

Arsenal went into the final matchday almost certain of advancing to the round of 16 as runners-up for the fourth straight season – knowing even victory in Switzerland would not be enough if PSG picked up an expected win.

But Wenger’s men duly delivered a hammering 4-1 win courtesy of Perez’s hat-trick and an Alex Iwobi effort, with Basel surrendering tamely and only striking a late consolation through Seydou Doumbia.

And remarkably, Ludogorets pulled off a surprise result some 250 miles away in Paris, meaning Arsenal go into Monday’s draw as winners.

Although they could still land the likes of Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, at least Wenger knows he did all he could to avoid the big boys and looks to progress into the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010.

Meanwhile Napoli won 2-1 at Benfica to qualify for the Champions League last 16 as Group B winners.

Robert Lewandowski’s 28th-minute free-kick earned Bayern Munich a 1-0 home triumph over Atletico Madrid, ending the Group D winners’ 100% record. Both teams were already assured of their progress.

Russian side FC Rostov will continue their European adventure in the Europa League having made sure of third place by avoiding defeat in their clash with PSV Eindhoven. It finished 0-0 at the Philips Stadion.

Lucas Perez, left, celebrates his second goal against Basel.