Arteta slammed as Arsenal make embarrassing Champions League final record in heartbreaking PSG loss: '1980s football'

Arsenal’s defensive tactics have come under severe criticism from experts after the Gunners lost to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 final on Saturday night in Budapest.

Kai Havertz gave Arsenal a dream start with a goal in the sixth minute, but Ousmane Dembele's second-half penalty levelled the score. The match went into extra time and eventually penalties, where PSG emerged victorious to claim back-to-back Champions League titles.

Mikel Arteta’s side had relied heavily on defensive solidity throughout the season, which helped them end their long Premier League drought. However, former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley believes this approach backfired in the biggest game of the season.

Arteta’s tactics slammed

Arsenal’s ultra-defensive display also resulted in an unwanted record. The Gunners recorded the lowest possession percentage in a Champions League final since records began in 2003-04, managing just 24.7% time on the ball. This broke their own previous record from the 2006 final loss against Barcelona but in that match they were reduced to 10 men for more than 70 minutes.

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Speaking on ESPN after the match, Burley slammed Arteta's tactics saying that the Gunners should not have sat back for this long.

“Let’s lay it out on the table, when they scored after six minutes, they tried to defend their way to the 90th minute. Had it been PSG who scored after six minutes, they would have carried on attacking and probing and trying to win the game. And that’s the contrast in how these two teams approach, not only the final, but approach football.”

“Arsenal regressed into trying to defend their way through 84 minutes plus injury time. That’s tough to do. A valiant effort from Arsenal, but in terms of a football game, PSG by far, even not at their best, were the better of these two sides.”

Burley further criticised Arsenal’s tactics, saying: “Three times from a kick-off they’ve lobbed it forward like it was a game of rugby. That’s embarrassing. That’s 1980s football back in England. It really is.”

Former Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri also commented on the game, suggesting that Arsenal’s time-wasting in the first half influenced the referee’s decisions later in the match. “In the second period, the referee systematically whistled against Arsenal. He punished them for their time-wasting in the first half,” Nasri said on Canal+’s Late Football Club.

In one of the most discussed moments during the extra time, a potential foul against Arsenal in the penalty area was not referred to VAR, triggering angry reactions from Arteta who also received a yellow card for this.

Arsenal’s defence remained resolute for long periods, taking the game to penalties. However, Gabriel Magalhães missed his spot-kick in sudden death, handing PSG their second consecutive Champions League title.