Martin Odegaard urged Arsenal to use the pain of the defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final of the Champions League as a motivation.
The Gunners were beaten 2-1 in Parc des Princes on Wednesday, with Bukayo Saka taking a late consolation after goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi PSG.
Saka and Declan Rice were guilty of missing clear opportunities for the visitors who saw David Raya a second half of vitinha penalty, while Gianluigi Donnarumma made a series of impressive saves early and Saka wasted a great opportunity in the final stadia.
The frustration of Arsenal was embodied by the fact that they had an XG of 3.14 in the game, the most by a team against PSG in a Champions League match this season, while their 19 shots were also their most in a knockout game since they had 20 left in Barcelona in March 2016.
Keep your head high, gooners.
We'll be back. pic.twitter.com/96akcno7go
– Arsenal (@ARSENAL) 7 May 2025
Arsenal captain Odegaard said to TNTSport: “We tried it well. We started the game really well. We were on the front foot, had the momentum, a few big chances, but in the end it wasn't enough.
“We did well between the boxes, but we were not good enough during the two games.
“Credit to their keeper who made great saves. It was not enough and that is painful.
“In the boxes, especially today what we did with the ball between the boxes, we dominated the ball and took control of the game from the start. We were not strong enough in the boxes and that is where we lost it.
“It is painful, we wanted to do the big thing, a big goal in the competition and the Champions League. Massive disappointment, but we have to stay strong and together. Take the lessons, take the pain and use it to come back stronger.
“We have to learn from this. We have done many good things, but it is not enough. For the goal is where games are determined and that is where we should be sharper. We have to use this pain in a good way.”
Arsenal has played in their first Champions League final since the 2008-09 season.
This was their 201th competition in the competition, most of every party that the trophy never canceled.
In the meantime, PSG is only the third side that a European Cup/UEFA Champions League final has reached with five games on the way to the final, together with Bayer Leverkusen in 2001-02 and Juventus in 2002-03, who did not win any of them.