Nacho Monreal says that Arsenal expected to be under pressure early on in last night’s 4-2 win over Valencia as the home side pushed to get back into the tie after the 3-1 first leg defeat.
Kevin Gameiro’s 11th minute goal could have really caused problems for a team that has been brittle away from home this season, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang levelled things, and that seemed to take the wind out of their sails a bit.
The striker ended up with his first Arsenal hat-trick, bolstered by a fantastic Alexandre Lacazette strike, and afterwards the Spaniard reflected on what was a successful night for the club.
“I’m really happy, really happy,” he said when asked how he felt about making the final in Baku.
“I played so many times here. The first 15 mins was hard, we expected it, their fans pushed them a lot. But after 15 minutes the game calmed down, we started to have the ball and played good balls and we had control.
“The first goal was really important. We started the game thinking our first target was to score because we knew scoring one goal would make it really difficult for them.
“When Auba scored the first goal, in that moment the team had more control and we played a good game.”
Check out the Valencia 2-4 Arsenal player ratings
Thanks @badgoalryry
What a pair these two!….?…i mean Auba & Laca.
As long as we are the only team doing the open bus celebration in London, that would b enough for me…some good football in Baku and some good lasagna in Madrid will do the trick, me think!
“Psychological Control”…both of yourselves (as oppose to full blown panic mode) … and of the opponents (as in squash their ambition) We were far from parsimonious in defense even without the oft maligned Mustafi and a 3 man backline. Had Auba not been more sharp, we would have conceded with the defense under such continued duress. Auba looks like he (rightly) got his arse kicked over his (generally) slack efforts last game (and other parts of the season). As much as he has scored a bundle this season, he can be improved. BOTH finishing for 1st and third goals were… Read more »
You seem like a failed novelist now working at Burger King. Your disappointment in life has made you permanently miserable. So even on days like these you have to spout absolute garbage.
You obviously live in a strange fantasy world if you say that Aubameyang has been slack this season.