Arsenal knock Real Madrid out with 0-0 draw (Reuters) Updated: 2006-03-09 09:17
"Something is happening in the team, they are growing and gelling together,
they are very young but have shown great character."
Henry added: "We hit the bar, they hit the post, Jens made a magnificent save
- that changed the game - but at the end of the day 0-0, we went through, maybe
not in an Arsenal way but we are through.
"We know that we can do some great stuff but we also have to defend well as a
team and we've done that.
Real coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro told Spanish TV: "It's a big disappointment,
but I'm proud of the players. They did all they could to turn the tie around.
"We had our chances but we just couldn't finish off. It was a combination of
bad luck, good goalkeeping and poor finishing.
"Arsenal had their chances too and they did some excellent work as a unit."
Wenger's hails defenders among Arsenal's young
guns
LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) - Arsene Wenger paid tribute to
his young Arsenal team's defensive grit after they booked a place in the
Champions League quarter-finals with a 0-0 draw against Real Madrid.
Arsenal's sixth successive clean sheet in the Champions League was good
enough for the hosts on Wednesday after beating Real 1-0 away in the first
knockout round, first leg two weeks ago.
"It's a great night," Wenger told a news conference at Highbury. "We had a
bit of a nervous start in the first 10-15 minutes but after that we were always
in the game.
"And it was a great game because both teams tried to score and have a real go
at each other, with a perfect spirit. I'm very proud of my team...it was a great
football night."
Arsenal are missing no fewer than five defenders through injury - Ashley
Cole, Sol Campbell, Gael Clichy, Pascal Cygan and Lauren - forcing Wenger to
deploy French midfielder Mathieu Flamini as a left back.
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