Arsenal’s dream of winning a first UEFA Champions League title suffered another setback on Saturday after a painful final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, a result that also saw the club enter the competition’s record books for an undesirable reason.
The Gunners lost to PSG on penalties after a tightly contested final in Budapest ended 1-1 following extra time. Kai Havertz scored for the North London club, while Ousmane Dembele equalised for the French side before PSG held their nerve in the shootout to retain the trophy.
The defeat leaves Arsenal with an unwanted Champions League record. According to Opta, the English club has now played 226 matches in Europe’s premier club competition without winning the title, the highest number recorded by any team in the tournament’s history.
It was Arsenal’s second defeat in a Champions League final, having previously fallen short in the 2006 final. Twenty years on, the search for their maiden European crown remains unfinished.
The final also highlighted Arsenal’s struggles in possession. Mikel Arteta’s side recorded just 24.7 per cent possession during the match, the lowest ever by a team in a Champions League final since detailed possession statistics began in the 2003-04 season.
The figure was equally significant for Arsenal’s manager, as it marked the lowest possession percentage recorded by any Arteta-led side in a match where all 11 players remained on the field throughout.
Despite an impressive European campaign, Arsenal were left empty-handed once again, while PSG celebrated another Champions League triumph after prevailing in the dramatic penalty shootout.
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