After so much hope and talk of progress, Arsenal’s Champions League journey ended with a thud in Paris.
Despite a late surge and a brief moment of belief, the Gunners once again find themselves watching from the sidelines as European glory slips away.
This time, it was Paris Saint-Germain who slammed the door shut, securing a 2-1 win on the night and a 3-1 aggregate triumph that sent Arsenal packing before the final.
Piers Morgan Doesn’t Hold Back After Defensive Blunders Cost Arsenal Dear
It didn’t take long for high-profile Arsenal fan Piers Morgan to let his frustration fly.
Jumping onto social media as the match unfolded, Morgan unleashed a furious rant about Arsenal’s sloppy defending and lack of firepower up front.
“Abysmal f****** defending,” he posted bluntly, reacting to the second PSG goal.
“Arsenal getting totally outplayed – again – by PSG. And our lack of a striker has never been more exposed than in these two matches.”
A while later, as PSG marched on and Arsenal bowed out, he summed it up with a simple post: “Better team won. End.”
Arsenal Showed Fight but Not Enough to Topple Ruthless PSG
Though the Gunners did eventually get on the scoreboard, it was too little, too late.
Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal a lifeline with a late goal and goalkeeper David Raya even managed to save a penalty from Vitinha, but it wasn’t enough to overturn the damage already done.
Fabian Ruiz had opened the scoring with a screamer before Achraf Hakimi curled in PSG’s second – a goal that proved fatal to Arsenal’s hopes.
That second goal was especially painful, coming after a breakdown in Arsenal’s defense.
Thomas Partey failed to deal with a routine cross, Ousmane Dembele picked it up, and with a neat pass, set Hakimi up for a killer finish.
Makeshift Striker Setup Falls Flat in Front of Goal
With injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, manager Mikel Arteta had few options up front.
He turned to Mikel Merino as an emergency striker – a midfielder by trade who admitted the role felt “crazy.”
Merino partnered with Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in Arsenal’s front line, and while he’s earned praise for adapting, the lack of a natural striker was glaring throughout the two legs.
It all came to a head when Saka missed a wide-open chance late in the second half.
Riccardo Calafiori’s low cross beat PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Saka skied the ball over from close range.
The young winger sat stunned by the post, head in hands, knowing he had blown a huge chance.
Another Trophyless Year for Arteta’s Arsenal
It’s now been five years since Mikel Arteta lifted the FA Cup in his first season.
Since then, silverware has remained elusive for the North London club.
This latest Champions League exit means yet another campaign will end without a trophy in the cabinet.
The pressure is mounting. Arsenal are no longer a plucky underdog – they’ve invested heavily, grown their squad, and set expectations.
But without titles to show for it, the frustration is starting to build among fans and pundits alike.
PSG Prove Their Power as Premier League’s Nightmare Continues
While Arsenal crumble, PSG keep cruising.
Having already taken out two other English sides in the knockout rounds, they made it a Premier League hat-trick by dumping the Gunners too.
With Ligue 1 already wrapped up, their eyes are firmly set on Europe’s top prize.
Now into the final, they’ll meet Inter Milan – the side that eliminated Barcelona in one of the tournament’s most memorable matches – at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31.
Should they lift the trophy, PSG would become only the second French club ever to win the Champions League, following Marseille’s victory back in 1993.