Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has called for quick and bold decisions from the club’s leadership after their painful defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday.
Arsenal lost on penalties in Budapest after drawing 1-1 with PSG following extra time. It was the club’s second defeat in a Champions League final. However, the Gunners can still look back on a memorable season after winning their first English league title in 22 years.
The London side made a dream start to the final. Kai Havertz fired Arsenal ahead in the sixth minute and gave his team early control. PSG responded strongly and dominated possession for much of the match. Ousmane Dembele eventually equalised from the penalty spot in the 65th minute to bring the French side back into the contest.
Arsenal became more attacking after conceding, but that also left space for PSG’s dangerous forwards to exploit. Despite several tense moments, neither side could find a winner in extra time. The match went to penalties, where PSG held their nerve to lift the trophy.
After the defeat, Arteta said Arsenal must continue to improve if they want to become one of the strongest teams in England and Europe.
“First of all, I would take a few days with my family and then we will start the process to review what we’ve done,” Arteta told reporters.
“If you want to reach another level, we’re going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it demands to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart.”
Arsenal’s defence once again impressed on the big stage. The centre back partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba produced another strong display and helped limit PSG’s attacking threat for long periods. However, Gabriel was left heartbroken after missing the decisive penalty in the shootout.
Arteta also felt his side could have been awarded a penalty during extra time when Noni Madueke went down inside the box. Still, the Spanish coach refused to blame the officials for the defeat.
“If, if, if is not what happened,” he said. “So we need to do better, to improve and find different margins to get the outcome.”
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard shared his manager’s disappointment after the match. He said the final was decided by fine margins, especially once the game reached penalties.
“It’s small margins that will decide a game like this and when it’s penalties even more so,” Odegaard said. “That’s the reality of football and we have to deal with that.”
The statistics highlighted PSG’s control of the game. The French champions enjoyed 72 percent possession compared to Arsenal’s 28 percent. They also completed far more passes and launched significantly more attacks.
Despite the disappointment, Arsenal finished the season with domestic success and a return to the Champions League final. Arteta now faces the task of building on that progress and turning the club into a regular contender for the biggest trophies.
