Mikel Arteta said Arsenal was the best team in the Champions League this season, despite losing to Paris Saint-Germain in semifinal.
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Arsenal is the best team in Champions League, says Arteta
PSG won 2-1 on Tuesday night in Paris with goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory.
With the win, the French side set up a final against Inter Milan in Munich on May 31.
The Gunners started strong, but PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma stopped early shots from Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard.
Donnarumma made a great fingertip save to stop Bukayo Saka, and later, Vitinha missed a 69th-minute penalty after VAR gave a handball against Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Saka scored in the 76th minute, but it only ended up as consolation, as Arsenal missed out on a second Champions League final and extended their trophy drought to five seasons.
“We were very close, much closer than the result showed, but unfortunately we are out,” said Arteta.
“I don’t think there’s been a better team [than Arsenal] in the competition so from what I have seen, but we are out. We deserved much more I think in both games. But this competition is about the boxes and in both boxes there are normally the strikers most of the time and the goalkeepers and he was the best player in both games.”
When asked if the better team lost to PSG, Arteta didn’t hesitate to say yes.
“I think so, yes. Especially across 160 minutes. I’m saying that and they are saying that because they just told me that.
“It gives me so much pride, but at the same time I’m so upset, so annoyed that we didn’t manage to do it. Today I see how much the players want it because they were in tears [at the end].”
Enrique, PSG disagree
Meanwhile, PSG coah Luis Enrique respectfully disagreed with Arteta’s assessment after the game.
“Mikel Arteta is a great friend, but I don’t agree at all [that Arsenal deserved to win],” Enrique said.
“They play the way they want and love to play, but in the two legs, we scored more goals than them and that is the most important thing.”
“Arsenal played a great match and we suffered a lot, but we deserve to get to the final.”
Arsenal have now fallen short in each of their last four major cup semifinals: the 2020–21 Europa League, 2021–22 Carabao Cup, 2024–25 Carabao Cup, and 2024–25 Champions League.
