Arsenal will be without Olivier Giroud for their next Champions League game after the Frenchman was sent off late on against Paris Saint-Germain.
While the Gunners will be pleased to have escaped the Parc des Princes with a point, they will be hugely frustrated by the harsh red card handed out to their striker, even if Marco Verratti was also dismissed for the hosts.
Arsenal can’t even appeal the decision because under UEFA rules, red cards can only be overturned if it was a case of mistaken identity.
Giroud is understandably furious and has been quoted via the Mirror as saying:
“I’d already been booked so didn’t want to make trouble. I made a small challenge on Verratti but he threw himself onto the ground.
“I didn’t understand, so I asked him, “what are you doing?”, then he got up quickly and Marquinhos pushed me from behind.
“I don’t know how Verratti fell over a second time. I didn’t go looking for trouble so it’s frustrating.
“I think that the referee was tricked. Verratti was also on a yellow, so I was surprised by his behaviour.”
The suspension leaves Arsene Wenger with limited options up front, and he could be forced to play Lucas Perez for the Basel game. Alex Iwobi endured a frustrating evening in Paris, but he too may have to come in in Giroud’s place.
Verratti, meanwhile, will be a big loss for PSG, but given that he seemed to be the instigator, boss Unai Emery will perhaps accept it more easily.
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