Mikel Arteta Says Bizarre Comments After PSG Eliminate Arsenal in Champions League | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain are through to the UEFA Champions League final after beating Arsenal 2-1 in the second leg and wrapping up a 3-1 aggregate win on Wednesday night at Parc des Princes.

Arsenal needed goals to stay in the tie, but it was PSG who landed the first blow. Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a composed finish to put the hosts in control.

They carried that lead into halftime and had a chance to extend it when a handball gave Vitinha a penalty, but David Raya made a crucial save to give Arsenal a lifeline.

Still, PSG didn’t let up. Achraf Hakimi added a second goal to send the home fans into a frenzy. Bukayo Saka pulled one back for Arsenal, offering a brief spark, but it wasn’t enough to stop the French side from booking their place in the final.

Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal losing to PSG

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Following the loss, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke to TNT Sports in the UK and shared an odd reaction, noting that his side was the best in the competition even though they didn’t reach the final.

“When you look at the two games their best player on the pitch has been the goalkeeper, he has been the difference for them in the tie,” Arteta said (h/t BBC). “We were very close, much closer than the result showed but unfortunately we are out. I am very proud of the players.

“After 20 minutes it should have been 3-0. There is something extra you need to go your way in the competition and it didn’t. We were very close and for long periods of both games we were much better than them but we are not there and that has to hurt.

“If we want to win this competition we have to realise that. There are certain things that are on us. You shouldn’t just be understanding we are out. That is not the way I look at it.

“100% I don’t think there’s been a better team [than Arsenal] in the competition from what I have seen, but we are out. This competition is about the boxes and in both boxes are the strikers and the goalkeepers and theirs was the best in both games.”