Arsenal 2 Bayern Munich 0: Manuel Neuer error not why we lost, says Pep Guardiola

The goalkeeper was at fault for Olivier Giroud's opening goal

Glenn Moore
Tuesday 20 October 2015 22:57 BST
Comments
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer shows his disappointment after Arsenal's opening goal
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer shows his disappointment after Arsenal's opening goal (Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer shows his disappointment after Arsenal's opening goal)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Better to dare and fail, than not to dare, was Pep Guardiola's maxim as he defended Manuel Neuer after the goalkeeper's error handed Arsenal victory at the Emirates.

Neuer failed to claim a deep Santi Cazorla free-kick 79 minutes into a game Bayern Munich had dominated. Olivier Giroud took advantage to put Arsenal on the path to a desperately needed, but largely undeserved Champions League victory.

Bayern manager Guardiola said: “I never in my life criticise a player for taking a decision. Neuer made some great saves in the first half. We did not lose because of him.”

Neuter's error contrasted with the sustained excellence of Petr Cech at the other end, a performance that drew praise from his manager Arsene Wenger who said: “Cech was very important, he kept us in the game."

Cech was playing his first Champions League tie of the season, having previously been omitted to allow his deputy David Ospina to play. Ospina, whose error in Arsenal's previous tie contributed to a damaging Arsenal defeat, was injured last night and Wenger refused to discuss whether he regretted playing the Colombian against Olympiakos.

Wenger added of his team “They had a necessity to win the game and they did it in an intense disciplined way. Bayern had more possession but we decided to make it tight in our final third and catch them on the break.”

Guardiola, however, disputed that version arguing Bayern’s dominance of possession was because of how well his team played, not a deliberate ploy by Arsenal. “It was our choice to have control of the ball, they did not let us,” he said. "We created enough chances to win the game."

"I am so proud of my team, we played with a lot of courage to come here and take the ball from Arsenal. Sometimes you score, sometimes you don’t, we played well until the goal, at the end we played with a back three.

"We attacked everywhere, we crossed, we had chances, we had control, but in the end Arsenal scored two goals and we scored none.”

The two disappointments for Arsenal were another away win for Olympiakos, which means qualification for the knock-out stages remains difficult, and a hamstring injury to Aaron Ramsey. “He is OK but very down. His hamstring is a tough one,” said Wenger.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in