Home SPORTS Arteta's Arsenal Falls Short in Champions League Semi-Final

Arteta's Arsenal Falls Short in Champions League Semi-Final

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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal loses to PSG in the Champions League semi-final, raising questions about the team's future. Read more about the match and its implications.



Arsenal's Champions League campaign ended in disappointment with a semi-final defeat to PSG, leaving them without a title to pursue this season. After impressively beating Real Madrid in the quarterfinals, the Gunners had high hopes of advancing further, but PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma's exceptional performance proved to be a crucial factor in their exit.


Donnarumma's outstanding saves, particularly those that prevented Arsenal from adding to their goal tally beyond Bukayo Saka's late consolation, were pivotal in securing PSG's win. His shot-stopping ability undoubtedly impacted the outcome of the match.


Arsenal's semi-final loss would mark their fourth consecutive failure in major cup competitions, extending their longest-ever drought at this stage. The defeats include the 2020/21 Europa League, 2021/22 League Cup, 2024/25 League Cup, and 2024/25 Champions League.


This losing streak may raise questions about Mikel Arteta's suitability as manager, given the significant investment by the club. Arsenal's trophy haul under Arteta includes two Community Shield wins and one FA Cup, which might be seen as underwhelming considering the team's spending.


Arsenal's struggles in the Champions League run deeper than just manager Mikel Arteta's approach. The club's 201st match in the competition, without ever lifting the trophy, suggests a historical pattern of underperformance on the biggest stage.


This raises questions about whether the issues are more systemic, beyond Arteta's emphasis on process and methodology.




PSG's Journey to the Final

Under Luis Enrique's leadership, PSG has undergone a significant transformation, reaching their fourth major European final. Despite losing five games en route to the final, a feat only achieved by Bayer Leverkusen in 2001/02 and Juventus in 2002/03, both of whom ultimately fell short. Nevertheless, PSG remains optimistic about claiming their first Champions League title.


Fabian Ruiz sealed PSG's win over Arsenal with a goal in the 30th minute, becoming the first Spanish player to score their first Champions League goal in a semi-final. The goal came after 46 appearances and 60 shots in the competition.


PSG's lead was further extended by Achraf Hakimi, leaving little chance for Arsenal's comeback. Bukayo Saka did score his 10th Champions League goal in just 18 appearances, a feat only surpassed by Harry Kane, who reached 10 goals in 12 games.



Silver Linings for Arsenal

Despite their disappointment, Arsenal can take some positives from the game. They generated an impressive expected goals (xG) of 2.91 against PSG, the highest by a team against the Ligue 1 champions in a Champions League game this season.


Additionally, Arsenal's 19 shots were their most in a knockout match since March 2016, when they had 20 shots away at Barcelona. These statistics suggest that Arsenal created scoring opportunities, even if they didn't convert them into goals.


On another night, PSG's goalkeeper might not have delivered a match-winning performance, and Arsenal could have won comfortably, highlighting the fine margins that separate teams at the highest level.


Mikel Arteta reflected on the match, stating, “100%, I don't think there's been a better team in the competition from what I have seen, but we are out. This competition is about the boxes and in both boxes are the strikers and the goalkeepers and that's where the best were in both games.”


Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger disagreed with Arteta's assessment, pointing out Arsenal's inability to score goals.


Wenger said, ”With Arsenal, we saw the recurrence of being unable to score goals... Overall, in the two games, I would say they (PSG) were better than Arsenal, had more chances and were never really in danger, so congratulations to them."


Closely Matched Teams

The match between Arsenal and PSG was a closely contested affair, with little to separate the two teams. Arsenal's 355 passes were only 35 more than PSG's, and their collective pass accuracy of 79.7% was just ahead of PSG's 76.3%.


While Arsenal's passing ability is well-known, with most players achieving completion stats in the high 80s, it ultimately meant little without a tangible end product, highlighting the team's struggle to convert possession into goals.


The possession stats were relatively even, with Arsenal holding a slight edge at 54.1% to PSG's 45.9%. However, Arsenal may be disappointed with their inability to capitalize on any of their 27 crosses, reigniting the debate about signing a natural center-forward this summer.


Bukayo Saka led the match with 12 touches in the PSG box, followed by Gabriel Martinelli with six and Declan Rice with five. Only Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue came close, with five touches in Arsenal's box, though Kvaratskhelia did hit the post with a shot.


Arsenal's inefficiency in front of goal was a major concern, with only four of their 19 shots finding the target. This lack of clinical finishing ultimately cost them, as PSG capitalized on their chances and emerged as the better team over the two legs.


While Mikel Arteta's resilience in the face of criticism is commendable, his refusal to adapt could potentially backfire. His determination to stick to his approach, despite mounting pressure, may either be a testament to his conviction or a recipe for further disappointment.






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