Mikel Arteta didn’t hold back after Arsenal’s Champions League dream came crashing down at the semi-final stage against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite PSG’s 3-1 aggregate win, the Arsenal manager insisted his side were superior over the course of both legs.
“The best team lost, in my view… especially after 160 minutes,” Arteta declared in a passionate post-match interview. What made the moment even more compelling was Arteta’s claim that even PSG’s own bench agreed with him. “I’m saying that, and they are saying that, because they just told me,” he revealed.
The Gunners, who impressed in large parts of the tie, were undone by goals from Fabián Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi, and a masterclass in goalkeeping from Gianluigi Donnarumma, who denied Arsenal with a string of crucial saves. Despite the result, Arteta praised his team’s determination, especially in the first half of the second leg, calling it one of their best performances in Europe this season.
But injuries and lack of squad depth eventually told. Arteta hinted at the need to bolster his squad to reach the next level, especially when faced with elite European sides. Still, his pride in Arsenal’s journey was clear. The manager described the dressing room as “emotional” and full of “tears,” but also insisted the experience had only made them stronger.
“This hurts because there’s no one better than us in Europe right now,” Arteta added.
No comments:
Post a Comment