The Spaniard described the contest as "probably the best game" he had "ever seen, in terms of the quality of both teams and, above all, the individual quality of the players". Yet he also noted, "When I look at the number of minutes played and the freshness of these players, it doesn't surprise me."
After all, Bayern in Germany and PSG in France each play significantly fewer matches over the course of a season. As a result, their players stay fresher, fitter and, crucially, suffer fewer injuries than their English counterparts, especially towards the end of the campaign.
"To deliver that level of quality, you need to be in top form, and the gap between the leagues and the style of play is like night and day," Arteta added. "We're comparing two different worlds. You can't focus on one aspect in isolation without considering the wider context – that wouldn't be fair."