Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday night, losing to Sporting CP in a tense penalty shootout after the two sides couldn't be separated over two legs.
The north Londoners secured a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Lisbon, with many fans expecting a win during last night's second leg on home soil and they got off to a flying start as captain on the night Granit Xhaka netted the opener in the 19th minute.
However, Sporting fought back, dominating large spells of the game before Pedro Goncalves scored a long-range screamer after spotting Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale off his line around the hour mark.
Eventually, the match went to extra time and then penalties, with Gabriel Martinelli the only player failing to convert his spot-kick, meaning the home side were knocked out at the all-too-familiar round of 16 stage yet again. With all of that being said, football.london takes a look at what the national media had to say about Thursday's result.
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The Mirror heaped praise on midfielder Xhaka, who was arguably Arsenal's best player on the night. Of course, the Swiss international scored the opening goal but his desire to win his duels and drive his team up the pitch was commendable.
"On a big European night, your captain is often the man to turn to", the Mirror wrote in their post-match analysis. "In recent years, Arsenal have lacked a true leader to power them through, but Granit Xhaka seems to have stepped up to the mantle - at the second time of asking."
Meanwhile, the Guardian urged Arsenal to not be too hard on themselves considering winning the Premier League is the real goal for Mikel Arteta and co. They wrote: "In the light of day Arsenal will not be too hard on themselves, and nor should they be.
"Elimination from the Europa League to a commendable Sporting side will hardly register as a regret if Mikel Arteta’s players use a cleared schedule to succeed in their push for domestic glory."
The Telegraph took a similar stance, admitting that the result isn't the end of the world for the Gunners, although the manner of the defeat could impact them mentally and physically. "Is defeat a disaster for Arsenal? As a result, no", they wrote.
"The league is their priority. But the physical and psychological impact of this evening could be significant, and they will not know until Sunday, when they meet Patrick Vieira’s struggling Palace, how costly this night might be."
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