Unai Emery Says Sokratis 'Has Very Good Behaviour' After Red Card in Rennes Loss

Arsenal boss Unai Emery refused to criticise Sokratis Papastathopoulos after his red card contributed to the Gunners' collapse in their 3-1 UEFA Europa League defeat to Rennes on Thursday.

The north London outfit were leading courtesy of Alex Iwobi, but they shipped three goals after Sokratis was sent off in the first half at Roazhon Park for two bookings in the space of seven minutes.

Per Arsenal's official website, Emery was asked if Sokratis deserved to be sent off and said: "I cannot say to Sokratis because he has very good commitment, he has very good behaviour and he received two yellow cards in two actions of playing."

"I think we changed more than we want, but a red card can come," he added. "Two yellow cards and it's the referee's decision."

The Spaniard felt his side should have dealt with being reduced to 10 men better, though: "I think we must learn to play—when it's coming like today—with one less player on the pitch. Not a good experience today, because we couldn't do our work in difficult moments, in difficult minutes, with one less player, like we wanted. I think we can do better."

Sokratis was sent off after 41 minutes for fouling Ismaila Sarr during a Rennes counter-attack, having been shown a yellow card for fouling Hatem Ben Arfa shortly before.

The hosts capitalised on the defender's exit with goals from Benjamin Bourigeaud and Sarr either side of an unfortunate own goal from Nacho Monreal:

SB Nation's Kizito Madu was critical of Sokratis, though broadcaster and former footballer Adrian Clarke felt he did not warrant a second booking:

Having only just been shown a yellow card, he should at least have been more careful in his attempt to dispossess Sarr.

Football writer Kristan Heneage also reserved blame for Emery and the Gunners' failure to adapt to playing with 10 men:

Arsenal should be used to playing without a full complement of players, because they've had three red cards in their last six matches.

Emery believes that while overturning the two-goal deficit will be "hard," he's confident his side can do it back at the Emirates Stadium:

"We are going to start the next match, next week with 11 against 11 and with the same respect we have had in the first half, the first 40 minutes. We are going to do that at home against them. But we need to also change our performance and I have the confidence with our players, with our supporters helping us to create one big atmosphere to give us a good spirit against them to come back."

They'll have to do so without the suspended Sokratis and Alexandre Lacazette, who will serve the last game of his three-match European ban after picking up a red card for violent conduct in the round of 32 against BATE Borisov.

Arsenal are capable of progresssing, but they showed on Thursday that they're equally capable of making life difficult for themselves.

If they do so again in the second leg, it could prove costly to their chances of progressing.