After Euro exit
you. In the first leg, we had only conceded one shot on target. We were very stable and concentrated. Then you look at Thursday and I just felt from the start, for some reason, we were a little bit passive. That’s youth, it’s lack of experience in some key positions. So it’s just about coaching and it’s about time. It’s about players getting big experiences.
“It’s a disappointment, of course, but on reflection over the course of the European campaign there have been many good moments, many highlights for us, but of course many disappointments as well for us to improve on.
“Now we have a clear run domestically. From June of last year we have been virtually playing every other week. The squad has had injuries. The players have shown great fight right through until this stage, so now we have a clear run at it domestically and we will be looking to finish the season very strongly.” Arsenal have been handed a tough Europa League last-16 tie against Italian giants AC Milan. The Gunners made it into the draw despite losing at home to Swedish side Ostersund on Thursday – progressing 4-2 on aggregate. Now they face seven-time European Cup winners Milan, who saw off Ludogorets to advance. The first leg will be at the San Siro as Gennaro Gattuso looks to mastermind victory over Arsene Wenger’s men. Elsewhere, RB Leipzig have been drawn against Celtic’s conquerors Zenit St Petersburg.
“It will get harder and harder [to compete with teams with bigger budgets] but we have to keep fighting”
Lazio v Dynamo Kiev RB Leipzig v Zenit St Petersburg Atl. Madrid v Lokomotiv Moscow CSKA Moscow v Lyon Marseille v Athletic Bilbao Sporting Lisbon v Viktoria Plzen Borussia Dortmund v Red Bull Salzburg AC Milan v Arsenal (First legs on 8 March, with the ties concluding on 15 March)