Mikel Arteta has emotionally claimed Arsenal were the best team in the Champions League this season and did not deserve to lose in the semi-finals, while his players were in tears after their defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal's hopes of lifting the trophy and winning their first Champions League title were dashed after a 2-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
The Gunners were already trailing in the semi-final and, despite goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma making two superb saves in the opening 15 minutes, they were left in even more trouble when Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring in the 27th minute.
Achraf Hakimi sealed the game in the second half before Bukayo Saka scored a consolation goal after a 3-1 defeat on aggregate.
However, Arteta told TNT Sports: “I don't think there was a better team in this tournament from what I saw, but we were eliminated.”
Later, at a press conference, when asked if he thought the best team had been eliminated, he added: “Yes, and I say that because they (PSG) have just told me so. Today I can see how much my players wanted it because they were in tears.”
“We deserved much more. If you analyze both games, the MVP (most valuable player) is their goalie.
“The Champions League is decided in penalties and that's what got them the win. It should have been completely different. It makes me very proud but at the same time I'm so disappointed and annoyed that we couldn't do it.”
Arsenal's only hope of a trophy was the European Cup after Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions with four games to go in the season.
The Gunners have finished second in the league for the last two seasons and head into their final three games in second place again.
Arteta has revived Arsenal's success both domestically and in Europe, reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years. But his five-and-a-half-year tenure has yielded just one trophy – the 2020 FA Cup.
When asked if he was concerned that his current stars do not have the quality to win trophies, Arteta replied: “Well, it depends. Two years ago, no one believed that we could qualify for the Champions League or even hope to finish second and fight in the league. And the number of points we have collected in previous years allows you to become champions.
“The reality is that you have to win something and get that trophy and it's disappointing that we don't have that.
“But we have the best example in the PSG dressing room with Marquinhos. He tried to win the Champions League eleven times. Eleven times, and let's see if they can win the final. You have to go up and down.
“So we need to look in the mirror at someone like him with a career like that and if you want to play sport and compete for trophies, you better learn to deal with it.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
