Emery hails ´awesome´ Ramsey after Arsenal win

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery hailed Aaron Ramsey’s “awesome” display as the Gunners defeated Napoli 2-0 in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

Juventus-bound star Ramsey opened the scoring in Arsenal’s impressive performance at home to Serie A side Napoli in London on Thursday.

Wales midfielder Ramsey will leave the Emirates Stadium for Italian champions Juve at the end of the season and Emery heaped praise on the 28-year-old’s display and commitment, with Arsenal still fighting to finish in the Premier League’s top four.

“Awesome. Awesome, his [Ramsey] performances in this moment for us,” Emery told reporters. “I think he wants to do something important with us.

“To help us do something important because, I think, he feels a lot for Arsenal as a club. And when he’s here with our supporters he gives us more than all he can and gives us the best performance. Not individually, but thinking in the collective.

“I want to enjoy this moment with him. I want to do something important in this moment with him. His focus now is very much thinking for Arsenal only.”

How good was this guy tonight? 

 @AaronRamsey pic.twitter.com/ERcosPQers

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) April 11, 2019

Following Ramsey’s 14th-minute opener for Arsenal, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly scored an own goal as the home side moved 2-0 ahead 11 minutes later.

Napoli struggled to impose themselves on the contest after Lorenzo Insigne and Piotr Zielinski wasted big opportunities away from home.

Reflecting on the result, Emery said: “50 per cent [happy] because we know the first leg was very important for us to take a good result and a good feeling with our supporters with this competition. I think we deserved the result.”

“We know it’s going to be very difficult there,” he added. “Their performances at home are usually very strong this season. They are going to use all their possibilities, their attacking possibilities there for a comeback. Our objective now is to continue being competitive.”