Mikel Arteta has spoken about the tackle on Noni Madueke which many felt could have been given as a penalty, following Arsenal’s defeat to PSG in the 2025/26 Champions League final.
Softfootball gathered, Arteta revealed he had spent hours reviewing penalty incidents across the competition to understand the standards applied by officials.
Speaking to the media, he said:
I watched all the penalties in the competition in the last 72 hours to understand what is a penalty and what is not… …that one on Madueke can easily be a penalty.
Reacting to the loss, Arteta maintained that Arsenal will now begin making very important decisions as they aim to move to another level. He stressed that the team must show ambition and that he fully believes his players are capable of delivering even more.
Arteta also expressed the pain of losing the Champions League final, especially after winning the 2025/26 Premier League title earlier in the season.
He explained that while they secured the big one domestically, missing out on the Champions League and losing it on penalties is a unique kind of heartbreak. Arteta added that losing trophies on penalties is deeply painful, and no one can take that feeling away.
