Arsenal

Following Arsenal's Champions League exit at the hands of Paris St-Germain, we asked you to have your say on the game.

Here are some of your comments:

Wendy: Feel so sorry for the team as it is a devastating result. With Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, it was an almost impossible task. Getting to the semi-final has been a fantastic achievement though given the season's problems for the Gunners. A bold goal from Bukayo Saka provided a small healing plaster, at least. All go now for keeping our place as 'the best of the rest' in the league table.

Ash: I think that reaching the semi-finals is about right. PSG are a slick outfit with matchwinners that Arsenal lack. Arsenal need to go big in the summer transfer window and find those game changers that are needed to go and win something.

Vince: Deflated. So many what ifs. At least we went out fighting. The better team lost over these two legs. We could have won if Gabriel was around, or if Thomas Partey hadn't missed the first game, or if we had bought a striker in January. Or if Donnaruma wasn't in perfect form! But ifs never win trophies so let's just plan better and go again. Mikel Arteta is close to a big win and in all likelihood he's going to get just one more season to do it.

Paul: At that level, more than effort is required. We lack pace, creativity and ruthlessness. Only Saka, William Saliba and Declan Rice are truly world class.

Rachel: The one thing Arsenal need to do is up their game when it matters the most. They have done so well and given the fans some much-needed hope as of late, but as soon as they lose a game or two they start to really slack. Seems to be a real lack of drive within the team when the times get tough and unfortunately this is their main downfall. Noticing plenty of opportunities between Rice and Saka but the rest of the team don't seem to be around to cover their efforts!

Peter: Arsenal lacked precision, close ball control, and strategy around the penalty box, in contrast to PSG. Think of the difference say a Yoana Wissa would have made in the box. Several transfer windows later and Arteta still doesn't get it. Maybe Arsenal need a top manager to make the next step forward/up as the "nearly" label is about to stick.

Match of the Day's Guillem Balague reflected on Arsenal's Champions League exit: "They haven't been good enough. But if we take out the failure of a no trophy season, you can see progression. You have to say that. For six years, they were not in the Champions League. They have now been in it for two years and got to the semi-final in the second season and they made life difficult for PSG.

"Arsenal were better than PSG. Of course Donnarumma counts but they created the chances - they had the momentum. You will hear Mikel Arteta talking in interviews about 'we weren't strong in the boxes'. They made mistakes, but he needs players. They didn't score enough. Again, he needs players.

"Four or five new starters, depending how many they can sell, and Arsenal will have a team that is one of the best in Europe."

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'Down and out in Paris,' says the back page of the Daily Express after Arsenal's Champions League dream died on Wednesday night.

Needing to overturn a 1-0 loss from the home first leg to book a place in the final against Inter Milan, Arsenal came unstuck against Paris St-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Despite David Raya's heroics in saving a penalty, goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi sank the Gunners with Bukayo Saka's strike offering only a late consolation.

Thursday's papers recognise the 'Art Break' for the Arsenal boss, who has now overseen five trophyless seasons at Emirates Stadium.

Image source, Daily Express and Daily Mirror

Arsenal have made an offer to the representatives of Ipswich's English striker Liam Delap, 22, as they seek to sign a supporting forward alongside a more experienced and proven option. (Football Transfers), external

The Gunners have also stepped up talks to extend the contract of France centre-back William Saliba, who has been linked with Real Madrid. The aim is to prevent the 24-year-old leaving for a cheaper price when he has one year left on his deal next summer, or on a free transfer when his contract ends in 2027. (L'Equipe, via Get French Football News), external

Finally, Arsenal also have an interest in Bayer Leverkusen's Czech Republic striker Patrik Schick, 29, this summer. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Arsenal still need a striker if they are to "go to the next step", says former defender Matthew Upson.

Having lost the semi-final first leg 1-0 to Paris St-Germain, the Gunners needed to win in Paris to progress to a first Champions League final in 19 years.

However, despite producing an xG of 3.14 in the game on Wednesday night, Arsenal could still not outscore PSG and succumbed to a 2-1 defeat and 3-1 loss on aggregate.

"It is difficult to take for Arsenal. Another semi-final they end up losing. It's becoming a little bit of a habit, which is not great," Upson said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It just didn't happen for them in this game.

"There are so many positives about what Mikel Arteta has done with this Arsenal team, they're a very good side.

"For them to go to the next step, it is looking at the finer detail, but for me there is one glaring thing. It's that position that we are always talking about - a player that is going to produce those goals. Other players will benefit form that as well, Bukayo Saka will get more space, Gabriel Martinelli will have more space.

"When PSG break away you always feel they are going to put the ball in the back of the net. Arsenal don't have that level."

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Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice speaking to TNT Sports: "I thought we were dominant today, if we score one of them chances in the first 15-20 mins then the game changes.

"Two mistakes from us and two goals for them. We gave it everything, it wasn't meant to be. You're in or you're out in this competition. Over the two legs we could've scored more goals but Donnarumma has been unbelievable and it wasn't meant to be.

"Sometimes you have to lose a few in order to win and overcome setbacks to grow as a player and as a group. We're going through that at the moment in terms of the league and Champions League - we've been here back-to-back seasons - we're growing as a team but we need to keep pushing and believing.

"We're absolutely gutted but this doesn't define us, for sure. We'll be stronger with our players back who have been out for a long time."

On injuries: "It's tough. We've done the whole season without five or six of our best players, so to do what we've done is unbelievable. We've given it everything, the whole squad, everyone flying with us and everyone believed. You could see that we believed it.

"On another night we maybe score two or three, that first 20 minutes where they score and we don't take our chances is a kick in the teeth. We'll be back, three games left, it's been a long season but we keep pushing because we want to win and do the best we can."

On winning a trophy: "We're all desperate for it. That's why we play football, we want to win trophies, we want to be at the pinnacle, winning stuff. For whatever reason, it hasn't been meant to be. We've been really close and it's not good enough.

"Arsenal deserve to be pushing for trophies and winning things but there's not a lot more we can be doing. A lot of superstars have suffered defeats to come out on top. It hurts, you see the boys, the manager. We wanted to be in Munich but this doesn't define us and we'll be back."

What did you make of Arsenal's display?

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to TNT Sports: "First, congratulations to PSG for reaching the final. The assessment I will make when I am a little cooler.

"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. 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. 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.

"If we want to win this competition we have to realise that there are certain things that are on us. You shouldn't just be understanding we are out. That is not the way I look at it.

"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. This competition is about the boxes and in both boxes are the strikers and the goalkeepers and their's was the best in both games.

"I am so proud of the players. They deserve a lot of credit for what they are doing in the context of the situation and the amount of injuries, probably the worst state you could arrive here as a team. To come here with a different context and still do that, it gives me a lot of positives for the future but tonight I am very upset."

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

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This game was Arsenal's 201st match in the Champions League - the most of any side who have never lifted the trophy.

The Gunners have also now failed to progress from each of their past four major cup semi-finals (2020-21 Europa League, 2021-22 League Cup, 2024-25 League Cup, 2024-25 Champions League) – their longest ever run at this stage of competitions.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Arsenal's performances

Come back to this page on Thursday to find a selection of your replies

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Football tactics writer Alex Keble has pinpointed four ways in which Mikel Arteta and Arsenal can try to overturn a 1-0 deficit in their Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain - here is the first:

For any pessimistic fans, some good news: the first thing Arsenal have to do can be filed under "more of the same". The final 70, that is, not the first 20.

PSG overwhelmed Arsenal in the first 20 minutes at Emirates Stadium, cutting through midfield like a knife through butter. They held 77% possession in that spell as wave after wave of attack pushed the hosts back.

Luis Enrique's initial setup flummoxed Arsenal's 4-4-2. Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves sat high, pinning Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, which left Ousmane Dembele free to drop off the front line and become the spare man in the middle.

Whenever Arsenal's two-man midfield looked to cover Dembele, there was always at least one of those two high eights free.

On Match of the Day, pundit Stephen Warnock explained how Arsenal's Bukayo Saka was breaking out of the 4-4-2 shape "too early" which opened up the left-hand side for PSG.

So Arteta changed the shape to a 4-2-3-1, dropping Martin Odegaard out of the front line and into midfield to track Vitinha.

Arsenal now had an extra body in the middle to cope with those intelligent rotations between Vitinha, Neves and Ruiz, which - coupled with the centre-backs moving more aggressively out to meet Dembele - stopped PSG from dominating.

Arsenal grew in confidence and, winning tackles in midfield, started to gain territory and get attackers on the ball. From minutes 21 to 95, Arsenal held 55% possession and out-shot PSG 10-7.

Thomas Partey's return should help them do that again, only better. He probably would have sniffed out the danger to prevent Dembele's winner last week, and ought to track the PSG midfielders more intelligently than Merino was able to.

But all eyes should be on the key battle of the game: Odegaard's man-marking job on Vitinha, the metronome and orchestrator of Enrique's fluid possession football.

Across the 'Big Five' leagues in Europe, Vitinha ranks second only to Bayern's Joshua Kimmich for both touches per 90 (117) and passes completed per 90 (98).

Stop Vitinha and you probably stop PSG.

Find out the other three ways and listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 20:00 BST

Image source, Getty Images

This match at Paris St-Germain is really important for Arsenal because there is a challenge that has been set.

Having not played to their absolute best at home and now trailing 1-0 going to Paris to play a side that many fancy to win the whole thing - it is a very, very tough game, but it is also a game that could bring huge reward.

I do not think it is necessarily their biggest game - because you could argue their biggest game was when they won the FA Cup final five years ago.

But, in terms of the more recent version of Arsenal, it is enormous because they know they are good enough to be able to make it to a Champions League final. And, if that is the case, the belief then to know they are good enough to be able to lift that trophy for the first time in their history.

Whether it is a make-or-break game for manager Mikel Arteta, I am less sure.

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If they do get knocked out, the sense of disappointment will be huge, because they will know they could - and arguably should - have done better. But if they get through, then it goes down as being one of the most memorable games in their history, because to come back from a deficit in European competition and make it to a Champions League final should never be taken for granted.

We are seeing some teams in different competitions not look great through the rounds but, as soon as they get the chance to be in the final, then it is anybody's game.

Arsenal are going into this second leg needing to show a level of professionalism and understanding that you are going to suffer, because you are playing away from home in a hostile environment and against top quality players.

If they win, they are walking off that field knowing they have got a Champions League final to get ready for.

If they do that, winning the second leg away from home, they will have done it the tough way. The belief will be absolutely through the roof and there will be no team in Europe they believe they cannot beat.

There is a lot riding on it. It is a big-pressure game.

But, I think Arteta believes in his players, believes in himself and believes they can make it to the final.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Image source, Getty Images

On this day in 2006, Thierry Henry scored a hat-trick to help Arsenal beat Wigan Athletic 4-2 in the final game at Highbury.

Arsene Wenger's side needed a win to qualify for the Champions League, so by no means was it a dead rubber.

Henry stole the show, like he so often did - ending with 116 goals at the old stadium, which is the most by a player at one Premier League ground.

Mikel Arteta will be hoping one of his forward players can produce something similar later when Arsenal face Paris St-Germain at Parc des Princes, looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit and book their place in the Champions League final.

It's the kind of night that demands a big performance, just like Henry produced when the stakes were high.

Can one of Arsenal's modern-day stars channel that spirit and make their own history?