Europa League

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Europa League | Semi-Finals

May 3, 2018 at 8.05pm UK

Atletico Atletico Madrid
1-0
Arsenal

Costa (45')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Arsene Wenger "very sad" after defeat to Atletico Madrid

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 04 May 2018

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits that defeat to Atletico Madrid is tough to take after being denied his fairytale exit from the club.

Arsene Wenger has admitted that he is 'frustrated and very sad' after being denied a fairytale exit from Arsenal by Atletico Madrid.

The Frenchman had hoped to sign off at the end of the season by lifting the Europa League, only for his side to slip to a 2-1 aggregate defeat against the La Liga outfit.

Wenger, taking charge of his 250th European game, saw his side struggle to create too many openings against a compact Atleti side that has now kept 12 successive clean sheets on home soil.

Speaking to reporters after the match at the Wanda Metropolitano, the 68-year-old confessed that this latest loss is particularly hard to accept, but expects Arsenal to bounce back next season under a new manager.

"I am like the team - very sad and very disappointed," he said. "I am even very frustrated, as well, because when you go out of a competition and you had the performances over the 180 minutes that we had, it is very difficult to take. For the club, there is now some time to think about what to do for next season.

"I think there are some good ingredients in our team and they will bounce back. These players have quality and, with the right additions in the summer, the team will compete next year."

Wenger's final home game as Arsenal manager comes against Burnley on Sunday afternoon, before trips to Leicester City and Huddersfield Town in the last week of the season.