Arsenal will finish the season without silverware after they were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (right) consoles player Jurrien Timber after the loss to Paris Saint-Germain
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (right) consoles player Jurrien Timber after the loss to Paris Saint-Germain(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
An emotional Mikel Arteta has insisted Arsenal have been the best team in the Champions League this season as he revealed their semi-final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain left his players in tears. The 2-1 loss at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday ended the Gunners' hopes of silverware having been blown away by Liverpool in the Premier League title race.
Arsenal were already trailing by a goal in their second-leg tie in the French capital and, despite forcing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into two fine saves inside the first 15 minutes, they fell further behind when Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring after 27 minutes.
Achraf Hakimi killed the contest in the second half before Bukayo Saka scored what would prove only a consolation in a 3-1 aggregate loss.
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However, Gunners boss Arteta, whose side had lost the first leg 1-0, told TNT Sports: "I don't think there has been a better team in the competition so far from what I have seen, but we are out."
And later at his press conference when asked if he felt the best team had lost, he added: "Yes, and I am saying that because they (PSG) just told me that. Today I see how much my players wanted it because they were in tears.
"We deserved much more. When you analyse both games, the MVP (Most Valuable Player) has been their goalkeeper.
"The Champions League is decided in the boxes, and it's won them the game. The result should have been very different.
"It gives me so much pride, but at the same time I'm so upset and so annoyed that we didn't manage to do it."
The Gunners' sole hope of glory this season rested on the Champions League after Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions with four matches remaining.
The Gunners have finished runners-up for the past two seasons in the English top flight and head into their final three league games again occupying second place.
And they could slip 18 points behind Liverpool if they lose Sunday's big encounter between the teams at Anfield.
Arteta has revived Arsenal's fortunes on both the domestic and European stage with this their first Champions League semi-final appearances in 16 years.
But his five-and-a-half-year tenure has yielded just one trophy - their 2020 FA Cup triumph.
And when asked if he was concerned his current crop of stars do not have what takes to win silverware, Arteta replied: "Well, it depends. Two years ago, nobody believed that we could qualify for the Champions League, or even think that we could finish second and compete in the league.
"And the amount of points that we have scored in other years, makes you a champion.
"The reality is you need something to lift, and to get that trophy, and the disappointment is that we don't have it.
"But we have the best example in the PSG dressing room with Marquinhos. Eleven times, he has tried to win the Champions League. Eleven times and let's see if they win the final. You have to go up and down.
"So we need to look in the mirror at somebody like this with that trajectory and if you want to be in sport and you want to be competing for trophies, you better be able to deal with that."
PSG have now beaten three Premier League sides in a row, with Arsenal following Liverpool and Aston Villa in succumbing to the French champions.
Luis Enrique's team, who will now face Inter Milan in the final, also beat Manchester City in the group stage.
Enrique was asked to address Arteta's claim that PSG had suggested the Gunners were the better side over two legs.
"I don't agree at all," said the PSG boss. "Mikel Arteta is a great friend, but I don't agree at all.
"They played in a clever way, but in the two legs we scored more than them and that is the most important thing in football.
"Arsenal played a great match, and we suffered, but we deserved to get to the final."
Arteta had raised eyebrows on the eve of the contest when he addressed the points total Liverpool had accrued to win the 2024-25 Premier League.
The former Everton midfielder said: "Winning trophies is about being in the right moment in the right place.
"Liverpool have won the title with less points than we have in the last two seasons. So for the past two seasons we have two Premier League (titles)."
The Gunners finished runners-up to Man City last season with 89 points. The campaign before that they also came second behind City with 84 points.
Liverpool were crowned this season's champions after a 5-1 victory against Tottenham on April 27 that took their points for the season up to 82.
Arne Slot's side will finish with 91 points if they win all of their remaining three matches