Wenger slams match referee over dubious decisions after Arsenal exit Champions League following another humiliating 1-5 loss to Bayern
Arsene Wenger
London: Arsene Wenger hit out at "scandalous" officiating by referee Tasos Sidiropoulos as Arsenal were dumped out of the Champions League having suffered a 10-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich.
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Arsenal's Olivier Giroud (left) and Aaron Ramsey appear dejected during the Champions League Round-of-16 second-leg encounter against Bayern Munich at Emirates Stadium in London on Tuesday. Arsenal lost 1-5 (aggregate 2-10). pic/Getty Images
Bundesliga champions ran out 5-1 winners in Germany last month, the pressure on Wenger has intensified after his 10 men lost by the same margin on Tuesday night — the biggest aggregate loss for an English club in the Champions League.
Bayern midfielder Arjen Robben (left) celebrates scoring a goal with teammate Arturo Vidal against Arsenal yesterday. Pic/AFP
Theo Walcott had put the Gunners ahead and then, after the break, Laurent Koscielny was sent off for bringing down Robert Lewandowski in the box. The Polish forward converted the penalty before Bayern ran riot, with Arjen Robben, Douglas Costa and a brace from Arturo Vidal securing another win for Carlo Ancelotti's men.
Wenger insisted the referee had "killed" Arsenal's chances. "I would say that we really put Bayern under pressure and that we were really unlucky because it was 100 per cent a penalty in the first half after the foul on Walcott," he said. "In the second half, the referee killed the game. After that, it was very difficult. At that moment, not only was it not a penalty, but Lewandowski was also offside," Wenger added.