Arsene Wenger disagrees with Mikel Arteta after Arsenal's Champions League exit

Arsene Wenger speaking after Arsenal’s Champions League exit (Picture: X)

Arsene Wenger disagreed with Mikel Arteta’s assertion that Arsenal were the ‘better team’ in their Champions League semi-final defeat to PSG.

Paris Saint-Germain’s impressive European run continued as Luis Enrique’s side booked their place in the Champions League final, where they will meet Inter Milan.

PSG beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium and 2-1 at Parc des Princes to go through courtesy of a 3-1 aggregate victory and inflict a heartbreaking defeat on Arsenal.

Speaking after the defeat, Arteta claimed Arsenal were the ‘better team’ across both legs and even suggested the Gunners had been the standout team in this year’s Champions League.

‘When you look at the two games their best player on the pitch has been the goalkeeper, he has been the difference for them in the tie,’ Arteta said.

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‘That tells you everything. We were very close, much closer than the result showed but unfortunately we are out. I am very proud of the players.

‘After 20 minutes it should have been 3-0. There is something extra you need to go your way in the competition and it didn’t.

Luis Enrique and Mikel Arteta during the semi-final (Picture: Getty)

‘We were very close and for long periods of both games we were much better than them but we are not there and that has to hurt.

‘100% I don’t think there’s been a better team [than Arsenal] in the competition from what I have seen, but we are out.’

Ex-Arsenal manager Wenger disagreed with Arteta’s claim, however, and said PSG were in fact ‘better than Arsenal’ across the two legs.

‘I would say tonight we have seen another PSG,’ he told beIN SPORTS.

PSG beat Arsenal in both legs (Picture: Getty)

‘They were not guided by possession or brilliant football but guided by a refusal to concede goals and taking advantages on the counter-attacks.

‘I would say mentally they were strong as well. They hung in there when they missed the penalty. With Arsenal we have seen a reoccurrence of being unable to score goals.

‘Overall in the two games I would say they were better than Arsenal, they had more chances and were never really in danger.

‘So congratulations to Paris Saint-Germain. I said a long time ago sitting here that PSG would not be far from winning the Champions League.

Paris Saint-Germain celebrate their semi-final win (Picture: Getty)

‘And let’s not forget they can still have the perfect season with the double in France, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.

‘That would be an extraordinary success for Luis Enrique, [PSG owner] Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Paris Saint-Germain.’

Arsenal flew out the traps in Paris and went close to breaking the deadlock on multiple occasions before the hosts took the lead through Fabian Ruiz midway through the first half.

PSG defender Achraf Hakimi put the French champions 2-0 up before Bukayo Saka scored a consolation goal for the Gunners.

Inter Milan beat Barcelona in the other semi-final (Picture: Getty)

On Arsenal’s performance, PSG boss Enrique said: ‘They played a great game and we suffered a lot.

‘Over the course of the two legs, we scored more goals than them and that’s the most important thing in football. I think it’s the game we suffered the most.

‘But we deserve to reach the final.’

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Looking ahead to their Champions League final against Inter Milan, Enrique added: ‘It’s their second final in three years. They’re ready. They’ve not made too many changes to their side.

‘It’s a team that dominates from set pieces. Yesterday was a game that swung both ways. It was clear that they had more experience; not just in terms of age. It’s up to us to arrive at the final in the right frame of mind.

‘Everyone wants to win the Champions League. We want to be capable of winning it. We’ll try and win it each year, that’s our objective.’

In the other semi-final, Serie A giants Inter Milan beat La Liga leaders Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate to reach the May 31 final.

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