Mikel Arteta today insisted Arsenal's Champions League last 16 tie with AC Milan is not yet dead despite their 4-0 drubbing at the San Siro.
No team have ever come back from such a first-leg deficit in the history of the competition but that is the task that awaits the Gunners on March 6 at Emirates Stadium.
Arsene Wenger's side suffered their worst-ever European defeat and despite a difficult playing surface which had only been relaid on Monday, Arteta insists they can only blame themselves.
"Never say never in football," said the Spaniard. "If we score two goals in the first half at the Emirates then it is game on. After last night, it will be very difficult to get through and we all know that.
"There is nothing we can do about the pitch. It was absolutely awful - you had no control at all. They are more used to it because they play here every week but I don't think we need excuses. They were the better team and deserved to win. We go to London with a really disappointing result.
"Everything became difficult after the first goal. They scored three goals on the counter-attack. It is difficult to take in and we have to change our mindset. We have another tough game on Saturday [at Sunderland in the FA Cup]."
