Mikel Arteta insisted Arsenal weren’t distracted by their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid after a 1-1 draw against Brentford all but ended their Premier League title challenge on Saturday.
Arteta’s side needed a victory at the Emirates Stadium to retain their faint hopes of catching runaway leaders Liverpool.
But Thomas Partey’s 61st-minute opener was cancelled out by Yoane Wissa in the 74th minute.
Arsenal were not at their best as they struggled to match the intensity that blew Real away in their 3-0 win in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday.
With the second leg looming on Wednesday it would have been understandable if Arsenal’s players were distracted but Arteta said that was not the case.
“The way the feeling was with the players, certainly not. To prepare well you have to play as well as possible and win the next game,” he said.
“We are disappointed
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