Arsene Wenger has weighed into the debate over Mikel Arteta’s post-match claims as Arsenal were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.
Semi final defeats in North London and Paris ended the Gunners dreams of a first-ever UCL title this season as Luis Enrique’s team won both legs and secured a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Arteta refused to criticise his players at full-time and boldly claimed his side were ‘much better than PSG’ despite missing out on a final spot in Munich.
The Spanish coach is back under pressure as another trophy-less campaign winds up but he remains on the front foot.
“I don’t think there’s been a better team in the competition from what I’ve seen,” he told TNT Sports.
“But we are out. We deserved much more, but this competition is about the boxes, the strikers most of the time, and the goalkeeper, and theirs was the best player in both games.”
PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off two crucial early saves from Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard, before Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi struck, and despite Bukayo Saka’ late intervention – Arsenal crashed out.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
“I’ll do the match analysis when I’m a little calmer. But the feedback I got directly from their staff is that we were much better than them [PSG].”
Arsene Wenger calls out Arteta over PSG claim
Wenger – who led Arsenal for 22 years including to a UCL final in 2006 – firmly disagreed with Arteta in his own post-match analysis.
“I would say tonight we have seen another PSG,” Wenger told beIN SPORTS.
“They were not guided by possession or brilliant football but by a refusal to concede goals and take advantages on the counter-attacks.
“Mentally they were strong as well. They hung in there when they missed the penalty. With Arsenal we have seen a reoccurrence of being unable to score goals.
“Overall in the two games I’d say they were better than Arsenal, they had more chances and were never really in danger.
“Let’s not forget they can still have a perfect season with the double in France, the Champions League and the Club World Cup. That would be an extraordinary success for Luis Enrique, [PSG owner] Nasser Al-Khelaifi and PSG.”
Arsenal news and related links
