JOIN USArsenal routed again
Bayern Munich condemned Arsene Wenger to more humiliation as 10-man Arsenal were eliminated from the Champions League with a crushing 5-1 defeat amid furious protests against the beleaguered Gunners boss on Tuesday.
Aiming to stage an incredible recovery from a 5-1 first leg deficit, Wenger’s side briefly looked capable of a famous escape act when Theo Walcott opened the scoring in the first half at the Emirates Stadium.
But any hopes Wenger’s recent problems would be erased in historic fashion were brutally dashed by Robert Lewandowski’s second half penalty and Laurent Koscielny’s dismissal for conceding that spot-kick.
Wenger cut a forlorn figure as Arjen Robben and Douglas Costa netted before Arturo Vidal’s double fired Bayern into the quarterfinals with a 10-2 aggregate victory. It was the first time Arsenal had conceded five at the Emirates and by the closing stages, there was a funereal atmosphere on an evening that started with Arsenal fans staging a protest march calling for Wenger to quit and ended with a chorus of boos and banners held up proclaiming: “Enough is enough - Wenger out”.
It was yet another chastening experience in the Champions League for Wenger, who has now seen Arsenal eliminated in the last 16 for seven successive seasons.
With their Premier League title hopes in tatters and even a top four finish far from guaranteed, Wenger’s 184th Champions League match as Arsenal boss may well prove to be his last as speculation grows that he will terminate his 21-year reign at the end of a wretched season.
Ramos, Morata strike
Captain Sergio Ramos and Alvaro Morata struck one apiece as 11-time winners Real Madrid secured a seventh successive quarterfinal berth with a clinical 3-1 win over Napoli.
Real, who took a commanding 3-1 first leg lead at the Santiago Bernabeu last month, looked to be facing a tough night in Naples after Dries Mertens finished off a great attacking move to give the hosts a 24th minute lead.
But Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri had warned of the threat from the “world’s richest club, with the best players” a day earlier.
And Zinedine Zidane’s ‘Galacticos’ emerged from the half-time interval in far more clinical fashion.
Ramos rose to head Real level six minutes after the restart and a second header which deflected off Mertens at Pepe Reina’s near post gave the Spaniards a 2-1 lead by the 57th minute.
Napoli saw late claims for a penalty waved away when Mertens tumbled in the box and suffered more woe in the first minute of added-on time when ex-Juventus striker Alvaro Morata came off the bench to hit their third for a 6-2 aggregate score.