Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to decide world champion, Hamilton or Rosberg

It will take something exceptional if Arsenal are to break the curse which has turned their Champions League round of 16 elimination into one of the rituals of spring and for a time last night a slice of excellent fortune seemed to be suggest a new direction. Then reality bit, as they surrendered a lead and handed their French opponents a one-way ticket to winning this group.

The draw, which leaves Arsenal needing a better result from a challenging trip to Basel two weeks from now than PSG secure from a regulation home tie with Ludogorets Razgrad, was the least the French deserved. The away side made all the running and were the architects of almost everything which was good in the game. As expressions of intended continental dominance go, it was not quite what Arsene Wenger had in mind for this 20th season at this helm.
The sight of Aaron Ramsey claiming to have been struck in the face by Edinson Cavani just before the break, when the striker had shoved at his shoulder with the palm of his hand, was a metaphor for what we witnessed.


Wenger had dispensed with some of his usual circumspection and pronounced before this game that his side now have the quality to win this competition, never mind finish top of a group for the first time since 2011. The course of the first half put that notion into sharp perspective. The ghosts of Hector Bellerin and Santi Cazorla stalked the place.

It was Shkodran Mustafi who was easily rolled by Blaise Mustafi for the goal which suggested this would be a struggle, crossing for Edinson Cavani to slide in his fifth goal in the competition, though there was anaemia all over the field from Wenger’s players.

Alexis Sanchez was as industrious as Arsenal got, also addressing Carl Jenkinson on how to make a meaningful contribution too. Aaron Ramsey also offered some fleeting industry, though the central midfield was occupied by strangers, from a North London perspective. It was the first time Ramsey had started in central midfield this season and the

first time he had operated with Francis Coquelin and the engine frankly didn’t work. Where the supply line to Olivier Giroud, in only his second start of the season, was lamentably poor, the French delivered in abundance to Cavani.