Mikel Arteta has said his side needs to show ambition this summer if Arsenal are to become European champions
05:00, 31 May 2026
Josh Kroenke , owner of Arsenal consoles Mikel Arteta after defeat in the UEFA Champions League final
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Josh Kroenke , owner of Arsenal consoles Mikel Arteta after defeat in the UEFA Champions League final(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Pain. That’s the word Mikel Arteta used to start his post-match press conference, and it was very apt and roughly summed up exactly how anyone of an Arsenal association feels.
As I type, I sit on a cold floor of Budapest airport, preparing to fly home. Surrounding me are red and white shirts as hundreds of supporters are aiming to make their way home on the raft of early hours flights back to London.
I cannot help but think, ‘What if?’ What if Arsenal won? What would this airport be like?
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What will the vibes be at the parade that I will inevitably drag myself out of my bed after an amount of sleep, which can be measured more accurately in minutes than hours? I’m sure in the light of day, I’ll feel better, but as of right now, that is a tall order.
I hate that this was lost on penalties, I hate that the PSG keeper didn’t save a single spot kick, and Arsenal still lost. I hate the referee. I hate the fact that the queue for a single chocolate bar at the airport took 50 minutes…
Focus.
Penalties are always the flip of a coin, but you can certainly give yourself a better chance if you make sure your spot kicks at least hit the target.
Many will question why Gabriel Magalhaes was taking a penalty before others like Noni Madueke or Martin Zubimendi. But Eberechi Eze, who has probably struck the ball sweeter than anyone this season, also missed, and therefore I’m struggling to apply too much negative energy to fret over that.
The other gripe appears to be with how Arsenal approached the game after they took the lead, brilliantly, I should add. Kai Havertz vindicated his selection yet again, just like against Man City and Burnley.
I could easily go player by player through the team, and the result would be plenty of praise for mainly defenders. This wasn’t because we weren’t brave or aggressive enough; it’s because PSG are a very good team, and they caused Arsenal issues in the middle third.
So often in analysis of Arsenal the opponent is discounted and in a Champions League final, against the European holders, you’re gonna face a real test, and they so nearly overcame it. Only penalties separated the teams, both during the 120 minutes and after.
But what Mikel Arteta said post-match I thought was extremely pointed in what he said. No doubt giving a glimpse of what is to come this summer.
“First of all I will take a few days with my family and they will start the process to review what we've done,” he said when asked what he will do this week. “We start to make some very important decisions if we want to reach another level.
“And we're going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it's going to demand to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart.”
That strikes me as transfer talk. Anthony Gordon is gone, a player the club had interest in, Julian Alvarez, another, also looks like he’s headed off too.
The market for players that can make a difference for clubs like Arsenal is far from brimming with options and so now the club needs to make these big decisions, quickly and precisely.
Yes, it hurts, but equally and unlike in 2006, there is true belief another Champions League final will come far sooner than it did this time.
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