Arsenal’s Heartbreak in Paris: Arteta’s Frustration and PSG’s Triumph
In a dramatic night of European football, Arsenal’s dreams of reaching the Champions League final were dashed as they fell to Paris Saint-Germain. Mikel Arteta, the Gunners’ manager, was left lamenting what he saw as an unjust result, declaring that the best team had lost after Arsenal’s exit from the semifinals.
Paris Saint-Germain emerged victorious with a 2-1 win on Tuesday night, thanks to goals from Fabián Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi. This result completed a 3-1 aggregate victory for PSG, setting up a tantalizing final against Inter Milan in Munich on May 31.
Arsenal started the match with a bang in the French capital, with PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma forced into action early. He made two impressive saves from Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard within the first ten minutes.
Donnarumma continued to be a thorn in Arsenal’s side, producing a stunning fingertip save to deny Bukayo Saka. The drama intensified when Vitinha missed a 69th-minute penalty, awarded after a VAR review for a handball by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Saka eventually found the back of the net in the 76th minute, but it was too little, too late. Arsenal’s hopes of reaching their second Champions League Final were dashed, and they now face a fifth consecutive season without a trophy.
After the match, Arteta expressed his disappointment, stating, “100 percent 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 pressed on whether the best team lost the tie with PSG, Arteta replied, “I think so, yes. Especially across 160 minutes. I’m saying that and they are saying that because they just told me that.”
Arteta’s frustration was palpable as he added, “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].”
On the other side, PSG’s manager Luis Enrique had a different perspective. When asked about Arteta’s assessment, he respectfully disagreed, saying, “Mikel Arteta is a great friend, but I don’t agree at all [that Arsenal deserved to win]. 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.”
Enrique acknowledged Arsenal’s performance, stating, “Arsenal played a great match and we suffered a lot, but we deserve to get to the final.”
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, who had an early header narrowly miss the target, reflected on the match’s turning points. “If you score one of them chances, probably in the first 15 or 20 minutes, the game completely changes on its head,” the England midfielder said. “Then, two mistakes from us, two goals for them. And obviously, with the chances we’ve missed, it just felt like it wasn’t meant to be.”
- Arsenal’s recent cup semifinal exits:
- 2020-21 Europa League
- 2021-22 Carabao Cup
- 2024-25 Carabao Cup
- 2024-25 Champions League
Arsenal’s struggles in major cup semifinals continue, having failed to progress from each of their past four attempts. They also fell agonizingly short in two Premier League title battles with Manchester City in the past two seasons. However, Rice remains optimistic, saying, “I think sometimes you have to lose a few in order to win, and you have to overcome setbacks and mentally grow and grow as a person and as a player and as a group. We’re growing as a team, as people, that we need to keep pushing and keep believing.”
Originally Written by: James Olley
