Mikel Arteta admits PSG are 'best in the world' but vows to take Arsenal to 'another level' after Champions League disappointment

In the aftermath of the defeat at the Puskas Arena, Arteta immediately turned his attention to the summer window, insisting that the club must act decisively to bridge the gap to Europe's elite. He hinted at a busy period of recruitment as the Gunners look to build on their domestic success and go one step further on the continent next season.

"First of all I will take a few days with my family and then we will start the process to review what we've done," Arteta told reporters after the game. "We [will] start to make some very important decisions if we want to reach another level. And we're going to have to show that ambition because we are more than capable of doing it, but it's going to demand to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart." The club have already been linked with high-profile reinforcements, with reports suggesting that Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez is a primary target to bolster the frontline.

While the result was difficult to swallow, Arteta was gracious in defeat, acknowledging Luis Enrique’s side as the gold standard in modern football. PSG commanded the ball throughout the match, leaving the Gunners with just 24.7% possession. This record low for a Champions League final starkly highlighted the technical superiority of the Parisian heavyweights.

"I want to congratulate PSG, Luis in particular, because they are, in my opinion, the best team in the world," the Arsenal boss admitted. "What they are able to do with the ball, with individual actions, I haven't seen it, and it's not the plan to play in certain areas when you don't have the ball, but they force you to do that. So, even more credit to the players."

The match was not without controversy, as the Arsenal bench reacted with fury when refereeing decisions appeared to go against them during extra time. Arteta pointed to a specific incident where Nuno Mendes appeared to foul Noni Madueke in the area, only for the referee to wave away the Gunners' protests.

The Spaniard did not hold back in his assessment of the officiating, stating: "I watch it back and it could easily be a penalty. Especially we see the penalties they gave this year in the competition. This season, the referee made a decision, and he made a different one with Cristhian Mosquera and that is an important one." The 102nd-minute appeal became a major talking point as the game drifted toward the shootout that eventually sealed Arsenal's fate.

Losing on penalties is a bitter pill to swallow, particularly with the Gunners so close to their first-ever European Cup. Gabriel missed the decisive kick after Eberechi Eze also failed to convert after the game ended 1-1, leaving Arteta to manage the emotional fallout of a season that yielded a Premier League title but missed the ultimate prize.

"Pain, that's it, when you are so close in the competition and you are a few penalty kicks away from winning the biggest football club competition, that's the way which you feel," Arteta admitted. He concluded by praising the spirit of his squad: "What I said to the players and the staff is that if I tell them one million times thank you it's not going to be enough. It's because the joy and the moments that we have lived together every single day and that's above anything else."