‘TITLE BATTLE CAN FIX EURO HEARTBREAK’

MARTIN ODEGAARD insists Arsenal can lift their season by getting back on track in the title race.

Odegaard admitted the disappointment was overwhelming after their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich but they have to use that pain as a driving force.

The Gunners captain says it will be difficult to pick themselves up and see positives, but he believes now is a real test of their character if they want to do “something very special” this season.

Arsenal surrendered top spot in the Premier League with defeat to Aston Villa last Sunday and now have to respond at Wolves tomorrow night – which comes just 72 hours after their European heartbreak.

Odegaard (above) said: “Yeah, that is what we have to do. That is the only thing you can do. Every time you get hit you have to stand up and go again.

“It has been so tight and so competitive. Every game is really important.

“It takes a little bit to get going again, but what you play for in the league is enough motivation for all of us. So we just have to stick together, get back up, and keep pushing.

“We can still do something very special. I think that is enough motivation to just keep going.

“All of us are in this together. We win and lose together. We all have an important role now to help each other and lift each other up.”

It was Arsenal’s first Champions League quarter-final since 2010 and there were clear regrets, largely stemming from not building on their lead against Bayern in the first leg.

But it was also their first campaign back on European football’s biggest stage in seven seasons and Odegaard says they must learn lessons to improve for next season and beyond.

The Gunners midfielder admitted they were not clinical enough in front of goal and that is where ultimately they failed against the German giants.

He said: “I think you see it in front of the goals, that’s where we lost the tie. It was a bit similar to the home game, we gave away a very easy goal (on Wednesday) and we are not sharp enough in front of the opponent’s goal.

“That’s where the games are decided and that’s where we lost the game.

“We wanted to do more. It has been a long time since we have been here, but at the moment it is disappointing. We wanted to go further. We wanted to go all the way... but I think we have done something good as well.

“It is obviously a bit hard to look at it in that way at the moment, but everything that has happened to us we have used in a good way and we have come back stronger every time.

“That’s what we have to do again.”