Champions League: Mikel Arteta Defends Arsenal After PSG Loss, Claims They Were the Best Team

• Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta believes that football has been cruel to his side after their Champions League exit on Wednesday night
• According to the Spanish tactician, his side was the best team across two legs and deserved to be in the final ahead of PSG
• The heartbreak in Paris means Arteta and his charges will go trophyless this season, stretching their barren run to five years

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Mikel Arteta remained resolute in his post-match remarks after Arsenal’s Champions League campaign came to a bitter end at the semi-final stage against Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite suffering a 3-1 aggregate defeat, capped by a 2-1 loss in the second leg at the Parc des Princes on May 7, the Spaniard boldly asserted his side were the standout performers throughout the competition.

Arteta claims Arsenal were the best team despite semi-final heartbreak

The North London outfit started brightly under the Paris lights, carving out promising openings in the early exchanges.

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Their crisp interplay and vertical movement overwhelmed PSG’s defensive shape at times, but the end product was continually thwarted by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The Italian shot-stopper stood tall, delivering a masterclass in goalkeeping that frustrated Arsenal’s attempts to tilt the tie in their favour.

Fabian Ruiz, Achraf Hakimi end Arsenal's UCL hopes

Momentum gradually shifted. Fabian Ruiz broke the deadlock with a thunderous strike after capitalising on a loose clearance, and later, Achraf Hakimi doubled the lead with a composed finish.

Bukayo Saka offered a glimmer of hope with a clinical response, but it proved too little, too late for a side in search of their first European final in nearly two decades.

What Mikel Arteta said after Arsenal's UCL exit

Speaking to TNT Sports after the defeat, Arteta voiced his pride and delivered a defiant message:

"I don't think there's been a better team in the competition from what I've seen," the Spaniard claimed, as quoted by Sky Sports.

The Arsenal boss didn’t shy away from pointing to underlying issues that undermined their campaign.

He highlighted the lack of natural centre-forwards, an area weakened by injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, as a critical factor.

"But we are out. We deserved much more but this competition is about the boxes, the strikers most of the time and the goalkeeper, and theirs was the best player in both games."

With the Champions League dream extinguished, Arsenal’s wait for continental silverware continues.

Their last major honour remains the 2020 FA Cup, per Flashscore.

Additionally, this season’s injury setbacks hindered their push in the Premier League title race, falling short of Liverpool’s relentless pace.

Thomas Partey singled out for blame

In another story, YEN.com.gh reported that Arsenal fans have voiced frustration with Thomas Partey after his underwhelming display in the Champions League loss to PSG.

The Ghanaian midfielder was singled out for blame following the Gunners’ 3-1 aggregate exit, with some supporters calling for the club to reconsider offering him a new contract.

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Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh