Arteta admits Arsenal missed the biggest prize in PSG final defeat

Mikel Arteta's first reaction to Arsenal's defeat to Paris Saint Germain was not to tear into his players. It was to praise them, then admit the obvious pain. After the 1-1 draw in Paris Saint Germain vs Arsenal ended with a shootout loss, he said his side had missed out on "the biggest one" while also arguing a key penalty call on Noni Madueke went against them.

Arteta's message was pride first, pain second

There was enough in the performance for Arteta to defend his team. Kai Havertz gave Arsenal the lead in the 6th minute, and the manager's post-match tone reflected a side that had not collapsed under the occasion.

Speaking to football.london, Arteta said: "I'm so proud of them. I think this season that we have had, under the circumstances that we've been through, they have given us so much joy. It's a privilege to manage these players. I think the way they carry this badge and how much they put into it, we've got a big one, and we missed out on the biggest one."

That reads like a manager trying to protect his dressing room, but it did not sound hollow. Kai Havertz finished with a 7.3 rating after scoring the opener, while Declan Rice posted Arsenal's best rating at 7.7. David Raya also made 3 saves across 120 minutes to keep the game alive long enough for penalties.

Arteta also placed the night in a wider domestic context, even if that offered little comfort straight after the final. He said: "We haven't done it for 22 years, so can you imagine and it's only the second time in our history that we have done it. We need to recognise the season we have had, but at the moment nobody can take the pain away from you."

The penalty decision will linger as much as the shootout

The game turned after Paris Saint Germain found their equaliser through Ousmane Dembélé's 65th-minute penalty. From there, the final stayed level at 1-1 through normal time and extra time before the shootout settled it.

Arteta clearly felt another penalty moment had been missed. Noni Madueke drove down the right and went to ground in the area, but the appeal was waved away. Asked about it, Arteta told football.london: "I watched it back and you can visibly (see a) penalty. Especially when you see the penalties in the competition this season. The referee has made that decision, he made a different one with Cristhian Mosquera, and, yeah, that's an important one."

That claim will be debated, and Arteta was arguing from his own reading of the replay rather than presenting it as settled fact. Still, his frustration makes sense. In a final that ended 1-1, one major call carries more weight than it would in a game with more margin.

The shootout then finished the job. Eberechi Eze missed for Arsenal, and later Gabriel also failed from the spot as Paris Saint Germain converted enough to take the trophy.

Arsenal have reasons for pride, but the hurt is obvious

This is where Arteta's post-match line landed well. He did not pretend the occasion itself was enough. He acknowledged the scale of what Arsenal had done this season, then admitted they had fallen short on the biggest night.

That is probably the fairest reading of the final too. Arsenal were competitive, they had strong individual displays, and they led early through Havertz. But finals are remembered for the decisive moments, and this one swung on Dembélé's penalty, the rejected appeal for Madueke, and two missed kicks in the shootout.

Arteta will not get much comfort from that now. His players gave him enough to praise, but the scoreline stays 1-1 and the trophy went to Paris Saint Germain after penalties.