Arteta maintains Arsenal must “make some very important decisions” to reach the next level, Yankee Scores reports…
PSG edged out Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after playing a 1-1 draw at Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Though the campaign will still be regarded as a success for Arsenal after winning their Premier League title in 22 years, the wait for their maiden Champions League title continues. 20 years after losing to Barcelona, Gabriel’s penalty miss proved so costly for Arsenal.
Call for Ambitious Decisions
“First of all I will take a few days with my family and then we will start the process to review what we’ve done,” Arteta said at his news conference.
“We [will] 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.
Respect for Opponents
“I want to congratulate PSG, [coach] Luis [Enrique] in particular, because they are, in my opinion, the best team in the world. What they are able to do with the ball, with individual actions, I haven’t seen it, and it’s not the plan to play in certain areas when you don’t have the ball, but they force you to do that. So, even more credit to the players.”
Kai Havertz put the Gunners ahead in the sixth minute with a stunning strike from a tight angle, but Ousmane Dembele’s 65th-minute penalty restored parity.
PSG had 75% possession and registered 21 shots, while Arsenal had just seven, but the penalty misses from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel ensured PSG retained the trophy. Though David Raya had saved Nuno Mendes’ penalty.
“[I feel] pain, that’s it, when you are so close in the competition and you are a few penalty kicks away from winning the biggest football club competition, that’s the way which you feel.
“What I said to the players and the staff is that if I tell them one million times thank you it’s not going to be enough.
“And it’s not because we won the Premier League and it’s not because we played the cup final, it’s not because we played the Champions League final in the manner that we’ve done, it’s because the joy and the moments that we have lived together every single day and that’s above anything else.”
Arteta’s Frustrations
Arteta insisted his side should have been awarded a penalty after Noni Madueke went down from Mendes challenge in the 102nd minute.
“I watch it back and it could easily be a penalty,” Arteta said. “Especially we see the penalties they gave this year in the competition. This season, the referee made a decision, and he made a different one with Cristhian Mosquera and that is an important one.”
