Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia admits that his side did not expect to beat Arsenal by a two-goal margin, after they put the Gunners to the sword 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium this evening.
The Ligue 1 side quickly looked able to deal with Arsenal in the game and the expected opening onslaught from the Gunners never came. Instead, Kondogbia fired Monaco ahead in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie, hitting a shot which took a slight deflection in the 38th minute.
Arsenal could not recover in the second half, despite doing their best to rouse themselves and Monaco punished the home side with a lightening break in the 53rd minute, which Dimitar Berbatov finished off in style.
Arsene Wenger's men did pull a goal back in injury time through an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shot, but with almost the last kick of the game Monaco restored their two-goal advantage when Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco scored.
The Gunners had no answer and, heads slumped, instantly realised they had taken a big step towards the Champions League exit door.
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Kondogbia was quick to express his delight at Monaco's victory, but admits they never expected it to be so comfortable against Arsenal.
"We're not surprised. We know our capacities", he told UEFA.
"We knew that we had to be at 200 per cent to have a chance. We prepared for this game well. We knew we could do it if we had few chances.
"It's true we didn't expect to win with a two-goal gap.
"My goal, I knew before receiving the ball from Joao [Moutinho] that I would try my luck."
Arsenal now face a daunting task trying to overturn the 3-1 defeat in the second leg at the Stade Louis II.
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