ARSENAL fans were left fuming after their Europa League exit – with the Emirates Stadium briefly placed on lockdown.
Trailing 2-1 from the first-leg in Spain, the Gunners failed to find that all-important goal at home to Villarreal as they drew 0-0 to crash out of Europe.
Not only did Arsenal miss out on the chance to take on Manchester United in the final in Gdansk later this month, they also lost their best shot of qualifying for any continental competition next season.
Currently ninth in the Premier League, the Europa League KO only served to pile more pressure on Mikel Arteta with former boss Unai Emery coming back to haunt the Gunners.
And eyewitnesses claim the Emirates was briefly put on lockdown after the game as officials feared protests getting out of hand.
Following the game, talkSPORT presenter Alex Crook took to Twitter to reveal media – and the players – were momentarily locked inside the car park as fans ‘screamed at the team coach’ outside.
Crook tweeted: “We have been locked in the car park compound as a handful of angry #AFC fans have stormed the entrance.
“Saw fans screaming through the railings at the team coach as I left as well.”
Arsenal fans had continued their protests against current owner Stan Kroenke and his company KSE over their involvement in the failed European Super League plot before kick-off.
Two weeks ago – ahead of the 1-0 defeat at home to Everton – some supporters even hung an effigy of the American billionaire, with police forced to intervene.
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Other clubs around the country have also been protesting, with Man Utd vs Liverpool even postponed after fans broke into Old Trafford.
But attention could quickly turn away from Kroenke and onto Arteta – with the Spaniard now among the favourites to become the next Premier League manager to be sacked.
After the game, Gooner Piers Morgan even tweeted: “Why does Mikel Arteta deserve to continue as manager?
“This season has been a total disaster, we’re playing dreadful football, and we just got kicked out of Europe by the guy he replaced.
“Humiliating.”
Invincibles legend Freddie Ljungberg even described it as ‘rock bottom’ for the club, while another Gunners icon Martin Keown called it a ‘bit of an embarrassment’.
After the game, Arteta himself told BT Sport he was ‘devastated’ at the result.
The Emirates boss said: “We are devastated. Really disappointed.
“We have to congratulate Villarreal. We tried everything until the last minute.
“I think we deserved to win the game but the details define these ties.
“The only way [to qualify for Europe] is through the Premier League so we know what we have ahead of us.
“Today is a big disappointment because we tried everything.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
