Arsenal head coach, Mikel Arteta , has congratulated Paris Saint-Germaine (PSG) for reaching the final of the Uefa Champions League.
PSG clinched the spot in the final of the tournament with a 3-1 aggregate victory over Arsenal; 1-0 win at Emirates Stadium and 2-1 win at Parc des Princes.
In his post-PSG comments, Arteta said, “congratulations to PSG for being in the final”, however said, “I think we deserved much more”.
The Spaniard went ahead to express satisfaction in the performance of his players, saying, “I can take a lot of positives and I’m very proud of the team.”
PSG will face Inter in the final of the Uefa Champions League at Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany on 31 May, 2025.
According to arsenal.com, Arteta said:
On the performance
First of all, congratulations to PSG for being in the final. Talking about merits, I think we deserved much more. When you analyse both games, who has been the best player, the MVP has been the same player, the goalkeeper, and the Champions League is decided in the boxes, and he has won the game for them. Because obviously today after 20 minutes and what happened in London as well, the result should have been very different. So, I can take a lot of positives and I’m very proud of the team. We have to arrive in the competition at this stage with a full squad, full available, in best condition. We haven’t got that, so let’s put that aside. It’s still the team that I’ve seen today against, probably one of the best, if not the best team in Europe, 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. And two things that are on us, probably not together, another thing is that obviously the opponent at this level has the quality to deliver like Donnarumma has done today again.
On if Arsenal need more firepower up front
I’m very proud to coach the players that we have, and within that, we create chances and situations and normally they are goals. But again, sometimes you have to applaud the position, what the keeper has done, not just in this tie, in both times – he won be the game for them. And you need that to win a competition, you need that. In one of the two boxes, somebody has to do something special to win it for you and make it happen, and that was the difference.
On what he’s said to the players
Very similar words to you guys, the way I describe it is the way I spoke to them, because it’s the way I feel it. Yes, I feel proud. Yes, probably the way we expected it. Yes, probably in the condition that we are, it’s very unlikely to happen. But it was there to happen again, and we made it very, very close to happening. So it’s just finding those reasons that actually didn’t. Instead of the things that we don’t have, with the things that we have, what we can actually do more to [make it] happen.
On if he sees hunger in the players’ eyes
Today I see how much they wanted it because they were in tears.
Photo: arsenal.com
