Arteta demands swift, bold decisions after Arsenal's Champions League final heartbreak

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged the club's hierarchy to make swift, intelligent, and decisive moves to ensure continued progress, speaking after their Champions League final defeat to Paris St Germain. The London club lost the final on penalties after a 1-1 draw, a result that dashed their hopes of securing a historic treble of trophies.

Arteta acknowledged that the club must make "very important decisions" if they aspire to become a dominant force in both English and European football. "First of all, I would take a few days with my family and then we will start the process to review what we've done," Arteta told reporters. "If you want to reach another level, we're going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it demands to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart."

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If you want to reach another level, we're going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it demands to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart.

Arsenal took an early lead in the final through Kai Havertz, but PSG equalized in the 65th minute via an Ousmane Dembele penalty. Despite strong defensive performances from players like Gabriel and William Saliba, Arsenal ultimately succumbed in the penalty shootout. Arteta felt his team might have deserved a penalty in extra time when Noni Madueke fell, but he refused to dwell on the decision.

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It’s small margins that will decide a game like this and when it’s penalties even more so. That's the reality of football and we have to deal with that.

"If, if, if is not what happened," the Spaniard stated. "So we need to do better, to improve and find different margins to get the outcome." Both captain Martin Odegaard and midfielder Declan Rice echoed Arteta's sentiments, acknowledging the fine margins that decided the match, particularly in a penalty shootout.

This Champions League final loss comes after Arsenal secured their first English domestic title in 22 years. While the domestic success is a significant achievement, the European final defeat highlights the gap that still needs to be bridged for Arsenal to consistently compete at the highest level on all fronts.

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If, if, if is not what happened. So we need to do better, to improve and find different margins to get the outcome.