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Salah names 'best team in Europe' amid Arteta's shock Arsenal claim

Disagree: Mohamed Salah and Mikel Arteta

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Mohamed Salah does not agree with Mikel Arteta's claim that Arsenal have been the best team in Champions League this season, and has already sent a message to Paris Saint-Germain ahead of their final appearance.

Mikel Arteta was helpless on the touchline as PSG beat the Gunners home and away to reach the final, but the Gunners boss raised eyebrows after the semi-final loss by claiming not only did Arsenal deserve to win, not only did the PSG agree with him, but also that they were also the best team across the whole competition.

Luis Enrique and Arsene Wenger quickly disagreed - the latter going as far as saying PSG were never in danger of being knocked out - and Salah can be counted among the dissenting voices.

Salah was recently asked about Liverpool's Champions League exit at the hands of PSG, and he admitted the Reds lost to the "best team in Europe" and hopes the French side lifts the trophy.

"I have to be honest. PSG had a very good first leg. We were so lucky," Salah is quoted as saying by L'Equipe. "Alisson had the best game of his career at Liverpool. They were very unlucky.

I said to them: 'Congratulations, go win it!'

Mo Salah on PSG

"Then they came to Anfield and we were the ones who were unlucky because we hit the post two or three times, they saved balls on their line once or twice. So we were unlucky, too.

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"In this match, everything was 50/50. Who deserved to qualify more? No one could say. We had a very good second leg, they had a very good first leg. And you lose on penalties... sometimes it's your day. Sometimes it's mine. It was their day.

"No one would say, 'They deserved it 100 per cent!' No. The first leg, yes. The second, no. It's the same for us. The second leg, yes. The first, no. It was their day and I shook the players' hands afterward, I said to them: 'Congratulations, go win it!' and that was it.

"We were in great form all season, and in March alone, we had a bit of a slump. And we are playing the best team in Europe at that time. They had a rise in form and we reached the same point."

Salah will meet Arsenal this weekend as Liverpool are treated to the traditional guard of honour after winning the Premier League title.

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