Arsenal crashed out of the UEFA Champions League competition on Wednesday, May 7 night after suffering another humbling defeat at the home of French champions, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
After winning the first led tie 1:0 at the Emirates Stadium last week, Luis Enrique’s young and vibrant team showed mettle—first to contain the marauding Arsenal in the first 20 minutes of the second leg in Paris, before settling in the game and taking control by scoring two goals.
For rivals fans, it was a match made in heaven and fodder for banter, for Mikel Areta’s men, it is another season that ends in a whimper, disappointment, regret and trophy-less.
This was evident when the Gunners manager met the media after the 3-1 aggregate defeat.
Every word from Arteta’s post-PSG presser
Arteta 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.
Arteta on the emotion in the dressing room…
It’s probably difficult with words. The work that we put [in], the enthusiasm, the belief and whatever happens, you come here, and you do what we’ve done, it’s the first time for 95% of these guys because they’ve never played a semi-final. To do what they’ve done in Paris today against this team is remarkable, but the fact is that we are out, and we want to improve, and we want to win it. We can never look back on it yet, but if we did or whatever, it’s just, why is it still on us to reach that and unlock that door to get to a final and then actually win it? And that’s the way it might be.
Arteta 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.
Arteta on what he 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.
Arteta on if he’s confident Arsenal can win a trophy…
It depends. This squad, two years ago, nobody believed that we could even probably qualify for the Champions League, not even think that we could finish second or compete in the league. Or have the amount of points that we had that in any other year you are a champion. Or have the run and the results and the performances that we had in the Champions League. But the reality at the end is that you need something to lose, and that trophy with all the work that we do, and disappointment is that it’s not going to happen.
On if the best team lost the tie…
I think so, yeah. Especially for 160 minutes. I’m saying that and they are saying that because they just told me that.
On who told him that…
The PSG bench.
On if there’s a fear we can’t go the next level…
Then they cannot play football at the highest level. You have the best example in the other dressing room. Marquinhos, 11 times he’s tried at this club, he hasn’t won it. 11 times – he’s the captain. So that’s the truth, and let’s see if they win it. So, 11 times they have to go down and up. So, look in the mirror at somebody like me with that trajectory and learn that if you want to be in this sport and you want to be competing and be very close to all the trophies, you better be able to deal with that. It hurts, but you have to deal with that.
On if he sees hunger in the players’ eyes…
Today I see how much they wanted it because they were in tears.
