Mikel Arteta thinks Arsenal were robbed in Champions League final
Mikel Arteta couldn’t understand why the incident involving Nuno Mendes and Noni Madueke didn’t result in Arsenal being awarded what could and probably would have been a decisive penalty in the Champions League final defeat to PSG.
Arsenal fell to PSG in the penalty shoot-out, though in Arteta’s mind, it was the penalty in normal time and another that wasn’t given that are the real talking points from Budapest.
Arsenal’s rearguard across the entire 120-plus minutes were only breached from the penalty spot. Cristhian Mosquera bundled over Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the box to tee up Ousmane Dembele to cancel out Kai Havertz’s opener during regular time.
However, the Gunners and Arteta believed they should have been awarded a penalty of their own when substitute Madueke took a tumble under pressure from Mendes in the first period of extra time. The incident can be viewed here.
Speaking to TNT Sports post-match, Arteta couldn’t wrap his head around why different decisions were made for what he perceived to be two very similar incidents.
Mikel Arteta angered by non-awarding of penalty
He bemoaned: “I watch it back and [Mendes on Madueke] could easily be a penalty. Especially when we see the penalty they gave me this year in the competition.
“This season, the referee made a decision, and he made a different one with Cristhian Mosquera and that is an important one.”
During his post-match press conference, Arteta again took umbrage at the perceived difference in officiating.
He said: “When something had to go our way, especially in the boxes with the penalty that was given against Mosquera and then no penalty to Madueke, those didn’t go for us.”
Speaking about the game in general, the Spaniard told TNT Sports: “Yes, it is very tough to accept when you are so consistent in the competition all the way to the final and in the end you lose the trophy on penalty kicks, so it is a difficult one.”
He later added: “We haven’t done it for 22 years [reached the Champions League final], so imagine the second time in our history that we have done it, and we need to recognise the season we had, but at the moment nobody is going to take the pain away from you.”
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On PSG, who have now gone back-to-back in the UCL, Arteta said: “They are a superb team and I congratulate them. Individual quality they have, the manner they are coached, they are a top, top team.
“You have to go through the emotions and if you’re in pain, then go through the pain.
“Think you could do something else, then learn from it. Reflect on that and show the ambition that we want to have again.”
On what message he has for his players, Arteta concluded: “That I am so proud of them, with this season we have had under the circumstances. Internally, we know what we have been through.
“It is just a privilege to manage this group of players and this team the way they carry this badge and how much they put into it. We got a big one [Premier League] and missed out on the biggest one.”
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