“We took a big lesson today,” says Arteta as Arsenal fall to Lens
Lens defeated Arsenal 2-1 to top Champions League Group B on Tuesday.
The result put the Ligue 1 side on four points from two games, one ahead of Arsenal who suffered their first defeat in the group stage of the competition in 10 games.
Sevilla are second on two points, one ahead of PSV Eindhoven after the two teams drew 1-1 in the Netherlands.
“Beating Arsenal in the Champions League will surely stay in our memories,” Lens coach Franck Haise told a press conference.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta, who had to cope with Bukayo Saka’s early injury substitution, said: “The difference between today and PSV (when his side won 4-0) was in the boxes.
“There were moments in the second half we could have been more efficient. We took a big lesson today.”
For Lens’s first Champions League home game in 21 years, the ground was sold out for the 30th time in a row and the 38,000 crowd were not disappointed as their team continued a return to top form after a mediocre start to the season.
Lens had scored at least once in each of their last 33 home games in all European competitions, starting the run against Arsenal in the group stage of the Champions League in 1998-99, and they extended the streak on Tuesday.
