Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Paris Saint-Germain after his side lost the UEFA Champions League final on penalties in Budapest.The match ended 1-1 after extra time, with PSG eventually winning the shootout 4-3 to secure back-to-back Champions League titles.

Arsenal had taken the lead through Kai Havertz in the first half, but PSG responded in the second half with a penalty converted by Ousmane Dembélé, levelling the score and pushing the game into extra time.Throughout the match, PSG dominated possession and control, with Arsenal spending large parts of the game defending under heavy pressure.Reports noted that Arsenal had less than 25 per cent possession, struggling to impose their usual style of play.

After the match, Arteta admitted his team was in pain following the defeat but gave full credit to PSG, describing them as the best team in the world due to their technical quality and ability on the ball.He also suggested that PSG’s style forced opponents into difficult defensive situations rather than simply reacting to game plans.

Arsenal also expressed frustration over a key refereeing decision, where winger Noni Madueke was not awarded a penalty while the score was still level.Despite this, Arteta accepted that his team must improve further to compete at the highest level in Europe.The defeat marked Arsenal’s second appearance in a Champions League final, 20 years after their first loss to Barcelona in Paris.

While Arsenal have enjoyed domestic success under Arteta, including winning the Premier League after a long wait, the manager stressed that continuous improvement is needed to match Europe’s elite clubs like PSG.