Source: PA
Djourou desperate to avert `disaster'
Johan Djourou admits it would be a "disaster" if Arsenal failed to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, but remains confident the Gunners can deliver.
Arsene Wenger was left fuming after his much-changed team were denied a stonewall penalty by Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai in the impressive Estadio Municipal, carved out of the Monte Castro quarry rockface.
Braga then capitalised when Emmanuel Eboue was off the pitch receiving treatment for a knee injury to net two late breakaway goals from Brazilian forward Matheus.
The 2-0 defeat means Arsenal - set to be without captain Cesc Fabregas for a couple of weeks after he limped off with a fresh hamstring problem - have lost successive European ties after opening their Group H campaign in blistering fashion with a 6-0 romp over Braga in London.
Indeed, should the Barclays Premier League club - still smarting from the painful loss against arch-rivals Tottenham - fail to beat whipping boys Partizan Belgrade at Emirates Stadium on December 8, then Arsenal could yet even drop down into the Europa League. However, Djourou, one of seven changes to the starting XI by Wenger, insisted the Gunners can still be confident.
"If we didn't qualify, it would be a disaster," the Swiss centre-back admitted. "But we shouldn't think we are not going to qualify. We have to think positively. This defeat was a shock for everyone and we need to bounce back. We have the players to do it, it is just how much we want it - and we do want to win a trophy."
