Soccer
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta during Champions League semi-final, first leg match vs Atletico Madrid. Copyright: ImagoxAlterPhotos/ABACAx
Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to their first UEFA Champions League final in two decades last Saturday, but they fell short to Paris Saint-Germain, losing out on penalties, Soccernet.ng reports.
However, former Super Eagles and Leeds United defender Sam Sodje was proud of the football the Gunners played, although many would opine differently.
Kai Havertz broke the deadlock for the Gunners in the sixth minute, putting the ball beyond Matvey Safanov. After the goal, Arsenal sat deep, while Paris Saint-Germain kept probing from side to side.
PSG’s breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when Christian Mosquera fouled Kvicha Kvaratskhelia in the box, resulting in a penalty. Ousmane Dembele stepped up to send David Raya the wrong way.
Both sides then cancelled each other out, maintaining the 1-1 score as the game went to penalties. Nuno Mendes missed for the French side, while Eberechi Eze and Gabriel replicated the same feat for Arsenal.
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Soccer Sam Sodje lauds Arteta, tells Arsenal to back Spanish manager
The five-cap Super Eagles defender revealed Arteta’s instruction to his team to sit back in the Champions League final was the only way they could have avoided a worse scoreline against PSG.
“Arsenal did well, but ultimately, the best team won,” Sodje told Footy-Africa.
“They came with a game plan, but it just wasn’t their day. Anyone who understands the technical side of football knows Arsenal did the best they could.
“It’s unlucky they couldn’t win, but the superior team took the victory.”
“They played to their full potential. You can only play according to the squad you have,” the 47-year-old continued.
“Fans who don’t understand the tactical side might think they should have played differently, but if Arsenal had opened up, they would have been beaten 4-0.
“Mikel Arteta got the absolute best out of his players. They reached the final unbeaten and defended brilliantly.
“They simply don’t have the profile of players to pass opponents off the park like a team like PSG can.”
Mikel Arteta delivered the English Premier League title for Arsenal in the just-concluded season, their first in 22 years. Sodje believes that if the former Everton midfielder is backed with attacking signings in the transfer market this summer, they can go all out to win everything next season.
“Looking ahead to next season, we have to credit Arteta. He was tasked with winning the league and built a specific system to achieve that.
“Now that they are champions, he may evolve the system toward more explosive, attacking football.
“That will require a different profile of player.
“It took the club over two decades to win the league again and years to reach this final; Arteta found a formula that wins matches, and we have to respect that.
“Next year, as defending champions, they will need to break teams down, which means recruiting players who can create more chances,” the former Brentford defender concluded.
Arsenal’s loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UCL final means there won’t be an all-English UEFA Super Cup final. The French side will play against Aston Villa on the 12th of August.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual CAF-Accredited sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.
With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.
A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.
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