Arsenal manager Unai Emery has defended his team selection after his side’s shock loss against BATE Borisov in the Europa League round of 32 match. The Gunners were beaten by 1-0 in the first leg of the matchup with the second leg to be played at the Emirates Stadium next Thursday.
Arsenal went into the match without their playmaker Mesut Ozil, a decision that has faced a backlash from the experts and fans alike. However, the Spanish gaffer remains unrepentant over his decision to drop the influential German ace.
Speaking to the media in the post-match press conference, the Spaniard sounded defiant over his team selection as he said, “Last week we won and we played with the same players.” He added, “For me today there was no difference to the performance. We deserved to win but didn’t get the result.”
Emery also said, “They were very organized defensively and they found the moment in the game. It’s not for one player or another. We can win with every player and lose with the same players.”
He concluded, “It’s the first match. We are going to play another 90 minutes next week and I’m sure it’s going to be different. Our big opportunity is next week at home. Today is not the result we wanted. We deserved more but they worked for this. Next week is going to be different with our supporters.”
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