At 2:00 p.m., Mikel Arteta boarded one of the four buses that would tour Islington to celebrate the Premier League victory, surely with remnants of what could have been still lingering in his mind. Details of the match, the alleged penalty not awarded for Madueke, for example, and other situations that could have led to two titles being celebrated this afternoon in North London by Arsenal's men's team instead of just one. "You have to control your emotions, but you feel pain. That's sports, but it doesn't diminish the pride I feel for the players," he declared shortly after losing the final in Budapest against Luis Enrique's PSG.
Arsenal lost a title, but they were not defeated in any match of this Champions League. It's the first time in history that a team finishes the competition unbeaten but doesn't take the title. "When you go to penalties, anything can happen. Unfortunately, we weren't good enough to turn the game around and win the Champions League," expressed the coach who was left almost paralyzed when Gabriel sent the fifth penalty kick into the clouds.
The Brazilian defender tried to cover his face with his shirt after the miss, but there was no fabric that could hide his sadness. Marquinhos, captain of the French team and his national team companion, rushed to hug and console him even before starting to celebrate with his teammates. "When you are so close against a team like PSG, you feel bad because we had the opportunity to do something that has never been done in the history of this club," lamented the coach.
"We are devastated," perfectly described Declan Rice, without sugarcoating it, the situation left by that penalty shootout. "It's a very painful moment," echoed Martin Odegaard to his midfield partner. Many Arsenal players couldn't hold back tears on the pitch at the Puskas Arena in Budapest and didn't want to stop at the mixed zone because there was little to say.
Despite the fatigue, the faces during the parade were different, of course. It had been 22 years since the Premier League was won in North London and "the season was incredible in many ways, even though the double couldn't be achieved," added the Norwegian midfielder who later enjoyed a mass celebration with approximately nearly a million people on a circular route of about nine kilometers.
Since Mikel Arteta arrived almost seven years ago, this Arsenal has evolved into a perfect machine that has only conceded seven goals in this Champions League, which ended with nine clean sheets. "Against PSG, you have to be focused throughout the game; surely people would want us to play like Bayern Munich, but you have to be very resilient," said Rice about a match that slipped away due to the only defensive mistake in the entire game, a penalty by Mosquera on Kvaratskhelia that the Spanish defender could have prevented. "We win and lose together," the Gunners' midfielder insisted.
Amidst the messages to enjoy the obligatory celebration this Sunday: "We have to celebrate the Premier League with our fans, they deserve it," emphasized Odegaard, there was a sense of missed opportunity. Both to make history as a club, after losing the only final reached exactly 20 years ago, and in the competition. An Arsenal victory would have completed the European treble: Champions League, Europa League, won by Unai Emery's Aston Villa, and the Conference League, claimed by Crystal Palace against Rayo Vallecano. "This season was an incredible journey. We will be back!" exclaimed Rice.
However, there was a response from Mikel Arteta that can be interpreted in one way or another, especially since rumors have been circulating that he could be the candidate for the Real Madrid bench under the aspiring president, Enrique Riquelme. "Now I need to rest, it's been a very long year," replied the Basque when asked if he will continue with a project he has been with for seven years, even though his contract ends in 2027. Logically, now that the project seems to have come together and there are no signs of wear and tear, continuing would be the expected choice. But in football, anything can happen, especially when there are elections at the white club. Just ask Figo.