In a night of high drama at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's European ambitions came crashing down despite a valiant effort from young star Gabriel Martinelli.
Early Promise Fades for Gunners
The North London side started brightly with Martinelli causing constant problems for the Greek defence. The Brazilian wonderkid opened the scoring with a perfectly placed header, sending the home crowd into raptures and suggesting a comfortable evening lay ahead.
However, football rarely follows the script. Olympiacos grew into the game, displaying the resilience that has characterised their European campaign.
Greek Resilience Pays Dividends
The visitors equalised through Pape Abou Cissé, setting up a tense second half where both teams had opportunities to seal the tie. As the clock ticked down, extra time seemed inevitable, until Youssef El-Arabi delivered the decisive blow in the dying moments.
Arsenal had one final chance to salvage their European dreams when they were awarded a late penalty, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's uncharacteristic miss summed up a frustrating night for the Gunners.
What This Means for Arteta's Arsenal
This elimination represents a significant blow to Mikel Arteta's rebuilding project. With Champions League qualification through the Premier League looking increasingly challenging, the Europa League represented their most realistic route back to Europe's top table.
The performance of Martinelli provides a silver lining, but questions will inevitably be asked about the team's consistency and ability to deliver in crucial moments.
For Olympiacos, this victory marks another famous European night and demonstrates the growing quality of Greek football on the continental stage.
