Gary Lineker names three teams who have ‘better players’ than Arsenal

Gary Lineker has praised Arsenal for reaching the Champions League final but says PSG’s penalty shootout win was a ‘victory for football’.

The Gunners were aiming to win the Champions League for the first time in Budapest on Saturday night and complete a stunning double after clinching the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta’s side took an early lead through Kai Havertz but Ousmane Dembele’s second-half penalty sent the champions league final to extra-time and then penalties.

PSG coped better with the pressure in the shootout, with both Eberechi Eze and Gabriel missing the target as Arsenal slipped to a painful defeat.

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Much has been made of Mikel Arteta’s defensive tactics not only in the final but across the season and Lineker believes that approach was the only way Arsenal could compete with back-to-back winners PSG.

But Lineker believes the outcome was a ‘positive result for football’ and says PSG were one of three teams who reached a higher level than Arsenal in Europe this season.

‘It was obviously disappointing for Arsenal but I do think the best team in the tournament has won again,’ the ex-England striker said on The Rest is Football podcast.

‘Looking at the game as a fan with no skin in the game, I think Arsenal had to play that way because they wouldn’t have beaten PSG any other way, but at the same time I think football won.

‘I know there are all different sort of ways to play and there’s nothing wrong with playing defensively. But at the same time football is entertainment and you want to see teams that are really positive, creative and have the best players and play wonderful football.

‘I think this season those three teams have been PSG, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

‘Arsenal are brilliant defensively and PSG didn’t create much because they’re so organised but I think as a neutral it was a positive result for football.

‘I think in terms of how football should be played, the best team won.’

Arteta cut a desperately disappointed figure immediately after the Champions League final and said ‘pain’ was the only way he could describe the feelings he felt.

‘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 said.

‘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. You have to go through the emotions and if you’re in pain, then go through the pain.

‘If you think you could do something else, then learn from it. Reflect on that and show the ambition that we want to have again.’

On back-to-back Champions League winners PSG, Arteta added: ‘They are a superb team and I congratulate them.

‘Individual quality they have, the manner they are coached – they are a top, top team.’

Arteta and his squad were in a better mood on Sunday as they held a trophy parade in north London to celebrate their first Premier League title in 22 years.

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