Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette was sent off in the closing minutes of the 1-0 defeat to BATE Borisov.
The Frenchman elbowed Aleksandar Filipovic and will now miss the second leg of the Europa League tie at the Emirates on Thursday.
After the game, manager Unai Emery confirmed that he had spoken to Lacazette about his lack of discipline. The 27-year-old has now publicly apologised to the fans for his red card:
? @LacazetteAlex #UEL pic.twitter.com/sv8ajy6EFE
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) 15 February 2019
Supporters on Twitter accepted the striker’s apology and are just hoping they can cope without the France international when they face the Belarusian side again next week:
Apologies accepted. No one is perfect
— Cornelius Rotich (@Cornel_Rotich) 15 February 2019
Lacazette is one of my favourite players any player can make mistakes
— Sharif (@Sharif32464274) 15 February 2019
We understand @LacazetteAlex we still love you #gunners4life
— Edward Victor (@monttrex) 15 February 2019
Thank you @LacazetteAlex Apology accepted you are a warrior, it’s funny how they @Arsenal over work in that pitch, I hope they don’t let you down come Thursday.
— Omwami Boloki (@OBoloki) 15 February 2019
Don’t worry we are behind you and we gonna make it!
— Ben JML (@jml_ben) 15 February 2019
Apology accepted my g you’re one of best strikers at the club and I know we can turn it around at home in the second leg
— Olateju Awosika ⚽️ (@Tejman18) 15 February 2019
Nice one from @LacazetteAlex
— Maheel (@dosunmu_demola) 15 February 2019
You re not that kinda guy Laca, apology accepted.
— Brotherlove Concepts (@brotherlove01) 15 February 2019
You should’ve scored the header in the first half. Same goes to Miki but considering the time and space you had, the match would be totally different then if you managed to score that header. Anyway, keep your heads up and be more responsible and decisive with your executions.
— Muhammad Zakwan Ahmad (@Zakwan409) 15 February 2019
Lacazette missed a good opportunity in the first half on Thursday, but he wasn’t the only player guilty of being profligate in the front of goal.
The Gunners will have to be more clinical in the next leg if they want to turnaround the deficit and progress to the last 16 of the competition.
