UCL: ‘I still have that poison in my vein’ – Arteta on defeat to PSG

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed that the anguish from last season's Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain will remain with him indefinitely. The decisive match concluded in a 4-3 penalty shootout after both teams ended 1-1 in a tightly contested encounter at Budapest's Puskás Aréna. Arsenal opened the scoring through Kai Havertz in the sixth minute, but the French side then controlled proceedings, accruing over 70% possession.

PSG equalized in the 65th minute via Ousmane Dembélé's penalty. Despite pushing for a winner in extra time, Arsenal ultimately faltered, with Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhães both missing their penalty kicks. This heartbreaking defeat came shortly after Arsenal clinched the Premier League title. The loss left a profound impact on Arteta and his teammates, who had not conceded a goal in 90 minutes of play across their 15 Champions League matches, only trailing by 42 minutes and 48 seconds.

Arteta acknowledges the "scar" left by the defeat, echoing comments from former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, stating that it serves as a constant reminder of the lessons learned and will fuel future performances.