Former French international, Christophe Dugarry has harshly criticized Arsenal following their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final.
The North London team succumbed to PSG in a penalty shootout after a closely contested match that extended to the full duration. Kai Havertz initially put the Gunners ahead, but their lead was equalized in the second half when Ousmane Dembele converted a penalty awarded for a foul by Cristhian Mosquera.
Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes both failed to convert their penalties during the shootout, contributing to PSG’s 4-3 aggregate victory and allowing them to retain their European title. The former France international has criticized the Gunners for the tactics they employed in the final against the Ligue 1 champions.
In an interview with RMC Sport’s Rothen S’enflamme, Dugarry condemned Mikel Arteta’s team for their approach, stating (via GOAL):
“We witnessed clearances, a team that consistently attempted to waste time. It was utterly unbearable, intolerable, and 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.”
He further criticized Arteta for adopting a defensive strategy in the final, asserting that this was not reflective of the traditional style of the Gunners.
“They’re a group of clowns, arriving with inflated egos, with Arteta proclaiming, ‘We’re going to defeat them’… I’m delighted Arsenal received the short end of the stick, and I hope that if they ever aspire to win it, they will begin to play proper football.
“This isn’t Arsenal! This club has a rich history, they’re the Gunners, there’s a legacy, a style of play. They cannot perform like that, it’s simply impossible.”
Despite the backlash, Mikel Arteta’s squad has enjoyed a successful season.
They ended their 22-year Premier League drought and reached the UCL final for only the second time in the club’s history.