Mikel Arteta left speechless as Arsenal boss after Bayern defeat
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was visibly gutted in his post-match interview (Image: TNT SPORTS)
Arsenal paid the price for not winning their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich. Mikel Arteta admitted he had no words to “lift” his players in the dressing room after Joshua Kimmich’s 63rd-minute header was the difference in Germany on Wednesday night. Tied 2-2 from the first leg at the Emirates last week, the Gunners were well below par at the Allianz Arena.
Bukayo Saka offered little threat while Gabriel Martinelli wasted a good opportunity to score in the first half. Arteta reflects on the missed opportunities of the tie, noting that Arsenal should’ve won on home soil last week. Despite putting the Bundesliga giants under pressure late on, they couldn’t find a winner. Arteta admitted he was lost for words when addressing his players, expressing his disappointment and the difficulties faced against a team with a lot of experience.
Reflecting on his team’s defeat in Munich, Arteta insists Arsenal should’ve won the home leg and missed a mistake from the opposition or a magic moment that could’ve unlocked the tie. He emphasized the club’s desire to reach the semi-finals or the final this year and the frustration of falling short of that goal. Days after a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates, Arsenal were hoping to lift themselves with European joy. Instead, they have suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since the start of January.
Arteta expressed a determination to push forward with six games to go and a challenging schedule for everyone. Bayern striker Harry Kane reflected on the tough game and the team’s achievement in reaching the semi-finals, expressing the club’s goal to win the Champions League and the need to up the tempo and pressing, especially in the Bundesliga compared to the Champions League.
