Monaco 0 Arsenal 2: 'In the first leg we underestimated Monaco,' admits Per Mertesacker after Gunners knocked out

Brave Gunners close to overturning deficit

Per Metesacker competes for the ball

Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has admitted that the Gunners "underestimated" Monaco in the first leg, and the French side deserved to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Arsenal battled to a 2-0 win at Monaco thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey but the victory was not enough to keep them in the tournament following their 3-1 home defeat in the first leg.

"The best team went through," Germany international Mertesacker told ITV 1. "They deserved it because they played much better in the first leg. We had to come back from a massive deficit. We played well today but it wasn't enough.

"You come here and try absolutely everything. You look at the game and we could have scored more than two. We don't look back to the first game - that was already over - and we tried to do our best today but it wasn't enough.

"They deserve it and that's absolutely fine because away from home they played a lot better and we had a lot of problems. We responded well today, we have to admit that."

Despite the European disappointment, Mertesacker believes Arsenal will still do well this season.

"Today was a completely different day and we could have scored more but it's a game and if we continue to play like that I think then we have a great chance in the FA Cup and the league.

"When you have one bad game in the Champions League that's the beauty of the game, you're out, even against a team that was underestimated."

Additional reporting by PA