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Mikel Arteta insisted that Arsenal were the standout team in this season’s Champions League, despite suffering a semi-final exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
The Gunners were beaten 2-1 in the second leg at the Parc des Princes, with a 3-1 aggregate loss sending them out of the competition. While Arsenal made a bright start and created several chances, they were repeatedly denied by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who delivered an inspired performance.
Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi struck for the hosts, effectively ending Arsenal’s hopes of a final appearance. Although Bukayo Saka pulled a goal back, it wasn’t enough to rescue the tie.
PSG will now face Inter Milan in the final, while Arsenal’s wait for a trophy extends into a fifth year.
Speaking after the match, a defiant Arteta argued that his side had been the most impressive in the tournament and deserved better.
“When you look at both matches, their best player was the goalkeeper — that tells you the story,” said Arteta. “I’m really proud of the team. From what I’ve seen, we’ve been the best side in the competition. But the reality is we’re out.”
The Arsenal boss expressed frustration at his side’s inability to convert early chances and acknowledged the fine margins that ultimately cost them.
“After 20 minutes, we could’ve been three goals up. Over both legs, we had long spells where we dominated them. It’s painful not to reach the final, especially when we were that close,” he said.
Arsenal’s shortcomings in both boxes proved decisive, with wastefulness in attack and key defensive lapses once again proving costly — a familiar theme throughout the campaign.
“To win this competition, you need to dominate in the boxes — that’s where matches are won,” Arteta admitted. “They had the better goalkeeper and made fewer mistakes. That’s the difference.”
The Gunners, still without silverware since the 2020 FA Cup, also struggled with injuries this season, which hindered their efforts in both Europe and the Premier League, where they have fallen short of title rivals Liverpool.
Despite the disappointment, Arteta drew positives from his team’s spirited showing, particularly given the depleted squad available to him.
“The players deserve credit for what they’ve done, especially under such difficult circumstances,” he said. “This was probably the worst physical state we could’ve been in for such a match, and yet we still produced that performance. That gives me confidence moving forward — but tonight, it really hurts.”
