At a Glance:
- Arsenal were defensively impressive in their effort against PSG in the UCL final.
- Jamie Carragher highlights unique factor in Arsenal’s run to the final.
- Why Arteta did not put on a masterclass.
Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final ultimately ended in defeat, as the Gunners lost in a truly devastating fashion to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Gabriel Magalhaes was unable to put away the penalty that would keep Arsenal in the shootout, and Arsenal would lose 4-3 on penalties after a full 90 minutes plus extra time had been played.
The footballing world has been sympathetic to Arsenal despite the loss, and in a season where Arsenal have already lifted the Premier League trophy, Mikel Arteta’s squad can end the season with their heads held high.
There were arguments made for Arsenal’s performance being one of defensive brilliance, and in some aspects, a masterclass, but pundit Jamie Carragher has recently attempted to shut that idea down, as well as highlighting a very unique aspect of the North London club’s journey along the way.
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Jamie Carragher says that Arsenal going technically unbeaten in the Champions League was ‘unbelievable’
On hit show The Overlap Fan Debate, where fans have a forum to ask high-profile football pundits questions about the game, Jamie Carragher was asked on Arsenal’s Champions League campaign.
“[Arsenal] had a favourable run to get there [to the UCL final], and then you didn’t lose [in terms of the scoreline] to PSG. To not lose a game in the Champions League is unbelievable and not win it.
“I just think you’ve got to get better attackers or you’ve got to go for it a little bit more.”
Carragher pointed out that Arsenal did not lose a singular game in their entire 2025/26 Champions League effort, winning all eight of their league phase games, avoiding defeat in every single leg of their knockout games, and drawing after 120 minutes against PSG in the final.
The ex-Liverpool man also suggests that Arsenal need to add to their attacking unit in order to greater their chances at European success, which is something that Andrea Berta and the Arsenal board plan on doing.
Jamie Carrager says Arsenal’s performance against Paris Saint-Germain ‘wasn’t’ a masterclass
Jamie Carragher also went into detail on why Mikel Arteta did not display a tactical masterclass in the final, stating:
“It wasn’t [a tactical masterclass]… I probably shouldn’t have been so forthright there. If you [Arsenal] win that, it’s seen as a tactical masterclass, a [Jose] Mourinho masterclass.
“You think of how highly regarded Brian Clough is in this country for what he did in European Cup finals [with Nottingham Forest]. They won it in that type of way, they were that type of team.
“I don’t know if it’s Arteta or if the actual players in the attack are not quite good enough.
