Shoestring victors add to Arsenal shock

The magnitude of Arsenal’s shock Europa League defeat by Bate Borisov was made clear when the Belarusian side were spotted feasting at a fast-food restaurant at Minsk airport yesterday morning.

Hours after their 1-0 victory over Unai Emery’s side, Bate’s players gathered in the Burger King restaurant in Minsk airport ahead of their flight to London for next week’s second leg. Bate’s players, including former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb, flew in economy class alongside travelling journalists and Arsenal supporters the morning after they had secured one of the greatest results in the club’s history.

It made for a dramatic contrast with Arsenal’s players, who returned to their nutritionists and physiotherapists in London on a private plane. The difference in sustenance and travel arrangements underlined the scale of the shock, when Arsenal were undone by a horrible playing surface and then had striker Alexandre Lacazette sent off for a wild elbow.

Thursday’s round-of-32 first leg was the first match Bate had played since Dec 13. They will now continue pre-season work and begin preparations for next week’s second leg in London.

Forward Nemanja Milic was the only one of Bate’s starters who was signed for a transfer fee. Milic cost £135,000 and Bate’s transfer record is around £850,000 – a figure which Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil earns in less than three weeks.

Failure to turn around the 1-0 deficit would mark the lowest point of Emery’s Arsenal career and the end of perhaps the club’s best chance to qualify for the Champions League next season.