A frustrated Mikel Arteta believes that Arsenal has been the best team in the Champions League this season, despite their exit to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final.
Arsenal's European dream was ended by goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi, who earned Paris Saint-Germain a 2-1 win over the night and a last date of Champions League with Inter Milan.
The French champions were immediately under pressure when Declan Rice stepped under a Jurrien Timber Cross to let the target go, start a hectic period of five minutes that required Gianluigi Donnarumma to perform excellent stops to keep Martin Odegeard and Gabriel Martinelli out. The early non-target did not come and Arsenal always played over from that moment.
The Gunners did not claim each of their last four major cup-and-half final (2020-21 Europa League, 2021-22 League Cup, 2024-25 League Cup, 2024-25 Champions League).
Arteta believes that his party deserved to make the final based on the two legs with and praised as the best team in the competition despite the exit.
“I don't think there has been a better team in the competition form I have seen,” Arteta told TNT Sports.
“But we are gone. We have earned a lot more, but this competition is about the boxes, the strikers usually and the keeper and theirs was the best player in both games.
“I am so proud of the boys, they earn a lot of praise for what they are doing and the amount of injuries. We have arrived here in the worst state. You have to fit with everyone here and be available with many minutes. They had a week. We came here in a different context. That gives me a lot of positivity for the future.”
Donnarumma made eight Saves and Arsenal created 4.77 in expected goals over the two legs, but just found it just once as an inability to be clinical with their finishes, dear to them.