CL: Wenger Calls For Calm As Arsenal Miss Chance To Top Group A

An Alex Iwobi own goal in the closing stages of the game took the Parisians to the top of Group A and ensured Arsene Wenger’s side finish second place for the fifth consecutive year.

Edinson Cavani gave the visitors the lead, slotting home a Blaise Matuidi’s low cross from close range, but Olivier Giroud levelled from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after Grzegorz Krychowiak fouled Alexis Sanchez in the box.

Arsenal then took the lead from a Marquinos’ own goal before the French Champions levelled proceedings as Lucas headed Hatem Ben Arfa’s corner past David Ospina courtesy of a deflection off Iwobi.

The result saw the Gunners miss the opportunity to claim the victory that would have seen them go through as group winners, however, Wenger said his side have “no reason to panic”.

“I think there is a special spirit in the squad and the consistency of the results. We are unbeaten for 18 games and sometimes you go through a spell with such momentum, where you win a little bit less. It’s down to us to continue without losing a game but to also to convert the draws into wins. But there is no reason to panic.

“Overall I believe that we were committed, for periods, dominant. But the start of the game was in favour of PSG because we let them play too comfortably, then in the last 20 minutes of the first half we pushed up and we came to make it 1-1.

“We had a strong start again in the second half where we were dominant until it was 2-1. After we dropped off and did not maintain the pressure and we paid for that.”

The Arsenal boss also believes that finishing second will not be a bad omen for the North London club. Arsenal have been knocked out at that stage for the past six seasons.

“At the moment we are second but its not over,” Wenger continued.

“We have a 90 per cent chance to finish second, but we wanted to finish first. At the moment we haven’t lost a game in this group. Overall we have done the job well. Will it be enough for us to finish first? I don’t know.

“Will it good or bad for us? I think we have to wait for the draw because if you look at all of the groups, you cannot really guess if it is good or bad.

“The advantage of finishing first is that you play the second leg at home. But for me, what is more disappointing is that we wanted to win the game and we didn’t win and that is disappointing.”

Arsenal’s final group game will be away to Swizz side FC Basel, with PSG entertaining PFC Ludogorets Razgrad at the Parc des Princes, Paris.