Mikel Arteta Reveals His Champions League Favorite After Arsenal’s Loss to PSG

Mikel Arteta has been quite vocal in his admiration for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as they chase the elusive Champions League title, especially after Arsenal’s heart-wrenching exit in the semi-finals. The Gunners suffered a challenging 1-0 defeat at home in the first leg, which set the stage for a tough return match at Parc des Princes.

Arsenal began the second leg on a promising note, but their hopes were swiftly dashed when Fabian Ruiz scored a stunning long-range goal in the 27th minute, putting PSG in the lead. After halftime, the Parisians extended their advantage with a well-placed strike from Achraf Hakimi, leaving Arsenal’s defense scrambling.

With a masterfully executed goal, Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal supporters hope, but despite a resolute effort, the mountain was too steep to climb. PSG maintained their composure under duress and won the game 3-1 overall, guaranteeing their spot in the Champions League final. They’ll now face Inter Milan, who advanced after a dramatic victory over Barcelona in the other semi-final. While Saka’s strike briefly lifted Arsenal’s spirits, the Parisians ultimately proved too strong over the two legs.

Arteta, reflecting on the two-legged tie, maintained that Arsenal had been the most impressive side throughout this season’s Champions League campaign, and he is now rooting for PSG to claim victory over Inter in the final scheduled for May 31. Drawing from his past experiences during an 18-month stint at PSG as a player, he expressed heartfelt wishes for the French giants to finally lift the prestigious Champions League trophy that has eluded them for so long.

“I hope so because of my past here,” Arteta shared with Canal Plus.

“I honestly want them to win it—I mean that sincerely,” Arteta said. “Now’s not the moment for something like ‘Allez Paris,’ but when they step onto the pitch for the final, I’ll be rooting for them.”

He also praised Gianluigi Donnarumma, pointing to the PSG goalkeeper’s crucial saves and consistent performances across both legs of the semi-final as key to their success. He stated, “Well done to them for qualifying. We played better than they, but their goalkeeper was the man of the match in both legs. That’s the bottom line.”

Arteta expressed pride in his own team’s character and resilience, noting, “We played with a lot of courage and intelligence. But at the end of the day, the result reflects the reality. We can’t leave this match satisfied. We fought hard, but today luck wasn’t on our side.” He concluded by emphasizing the need for his squad to analyze their performance, especially as they dealt with critical injuries and a challenging stage of the season, stating, “We have a level to reach, and despite having seven players sidelined, we managed to perform admirably.”