Former France international Christophe Dugarry has launched a scathing attack on Arsenal after their penalty shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final.
Arsenal fell 4-3 on aggregate to PSG after the match ended level and went to penalties. Kai Havertz gave the Gunners an early lead, but Ousmane Dembele equalized from the spot after Cristhian Mosquera conceded a foul in the box. Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes both missed in the shootout, handing PSG a second straight European title.
Speaking on RMC Sport’s Rothen S’enflamme, Dugarry criticized Mikel Arteta’s tactics and accused Arsenal of time-wasting and negative play.
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“We witnessed clearances, a team that consistently attempted to waste time. It was utterly unbearable, intolerable,” he said. “What was almost disastrous for football and its admirers is that they nearly created the illusion that by doing so little, one could win the Champions League.”
The ex-France star also took aim at Arteta’s defensive approach, saying it betrayed Arsenal’s identity. “They’re a group of clowns, arriving with inflated egos, with Arteta proclaiming, ‘We’re going to defeat them’,” Dugarry said. “This isn’t Arsenal! This club has a rich history, they’re the Gunners, there’s a legacy, a style of play.”
Despite the defeat, Arsenal’s season ended on a high overall. They ended a 22-year Premier League title drought and reached the Champions League final for only the second time in the club’s history.
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