Giroud's great escape! Wenger hails hat-trick hero as Arsenal progress in Champions League

Arsene Wenger heaped praise on Olivier Giroud for his heroics which saw Arsenal progress in Europe

ARSENE WENGER described Arsenal's Greatest Escape in Greece as a "special night" and led the praises for hat-trick hero Olivier Giroud.

 

The French striker scored either side of half-time to put Arsenal ahead of Olympiakos in Group F and then converted a 66th minute penalty to complete a 3-0 win and make it 16 Champions League group stage qualifications in a row with something to spare.

After recent narrow defeats in the knockout rounds to Monaco, Bayern Munich and AC Milan, Wenger admitted it was great finally to perform such a dramatic turnaround and felt Giroud in particular had turned in the "perfect" performance.

Wenger said: "I told you before the game that it would be the greatest escape, but I must say I am very proud of the team because we needed to be right on the mental side and the tactical side as well. It is a special night ­ one of the best European performances we have given. It creates a positive memory for the rest of the season.

 

"We needed a complete team performance. This team is really a team and they showed it tonight. We are very close in the dressing room.

"Of course, you don't need to single Giroud out tonight because he scored the goals but he has shown character as well.

"It was the perfect performance. He showed his skills and character but he had also to fight like mad. He has something very special on the character front and he showed that again tonight."

Giroud, though, is not one to rest on his laurels and ahead of Monday's draw for the last 16 is looking for more from this season's competition.

 

"It is fantastic for me and the team - we are really pleased to go through," he said. "In the Champions League it is one level up and we needed to be focused as a unit and together.

"But now we want to go as far as we can and the target is maybe to reach at least the quarter final.

That is my personal target and I think that's the same for the team.

"It's the fourth year I have been here and I have never played in a quarter-final."

Wenger added: "Maybe it is a lucky year for us in the Champions League ­ you never know."

 

Giroud with match ball in hand and Per Mertesacker celebrating Arsenal's win at the final whistle