ARSENE Wenger has rejected claims from Mikel Arteta that Arsenal were better than Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League semi-final tie.
The Arsenal manager backed his side to be the best team in the competition just minutes after his side lost 2-1 in Paris, 3-1 on aggregate.
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He said to TNT Sports: “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.
“I don’t think there’s been a better team [than Arsenal] in the competition from what I have seen, but we are out.”
Wenger had a hugely contrasting view of the two-legged tie.
The former Arsenal manager told Qatari channel beIN SPORTS: “Overall, in the two games, I would say [PSG] were better than Arsenal, had more chances and were never really in danger, so congratulations to [them].
“I would say tonight that we’ve seen a different Paris Saint-Germain – not guided by possession and brilliant football, but guided by refusing to concede goals and taking advantage on the counter-attack and on set-pieces is what gave them success tonight.
“On the other hand, with Arsenal, we saw the recurrence of being unable to score goals.”
This was not the only controversial Arteta post-match comment as PSG boss Luis Enrique denied his claims that his bench said that Arsenal were “much better than them”.
Enrique said in his own post-match press conference: “I don’t agree at all. Mikel Arteta is a great friend but I don’t agree at all.”
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Enrique complimented Arsenal’s “clever” approach to the match but concluded that his team deserved their place in the final.
He said: “In the two legs we scored more goals than them and that is the most important thing in football.”
Arsenal entered the second leg at PSG’s Parc des Princes needing to overturn a one-goal deficit.
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The Gunners started brightly and enjoyed a spell of dominance before being muted by a stunning Fabian Ruiz strike from the edge of the box, just before the half hour mark.
Achraf Hakimi doubled PSG’s lead with only 18 minutes left of the 90, meaning Bukayo Saka’s goal four minutes later was not enough to bring Arsenal level.
The North London side could not take their chances and will look towards their Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday as PSG progress to the final in Munich.
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