*This content was translated by AI.
Alex Ferguson (85), former Manchester United manager, sharply criticized Arsenal after their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
The UK's "Daily Mail" reported on the 1st (Korean time) that "Sir Ferguson criticized Arsenal through a leaked message sent to PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi immediately after the Champions League final."
Arsenal drew 1-1 with PSG in extra time at the 2025–2026 UEFA Champions League (UCL) final held on the 31st at Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary, before losing 3-4 in the subsequent penalty shootout. The miss by Magalhães, who took the fifth kick, was particularly painful.
The media reported that "Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta, employed an extreme defensive tactic throughout the match, drawing fierce criticism from the football world."
Arsenal's ball possession that day was a mere 24.7%, the lowest ever recorded in a UCL final since statistics began being compiled. Kai Havertz's early opening goal was Arsenal's first and only shot on target in the match.
Some claimed that Ferguson sent a congratulatory message to Chairman Al-Khelaifi while calling Arsenal's performance "boring." According to the media, Ferguson highly praised PSG's performance, stating, "You are the only team that truly played football."
PSG midfielder João Neves also criticized Arsenal's style of play. He pointed out, "We deserve the title. We were the only team that played football on the pitch. We created chances, controlled possession, and showed better play."
France's "L'Équipe" also heavily criticized Arsenal. The outlet wrote that "Manager Arteta, having lost his will to attack, abandoned the 'Barcelona legacy' he once embodied." It further described, "Arsenal parked a double-decker bus in front of David Raya's goal and threw the ignition key into the Danube River. PSG almost lost helplessly without even managing a proper attack."
It continued, "Arteta abandoned Barcelona's philosophy on the eve of the best night of his career. A club built on attacking football sold its conscience to erase the stigma of being a loser. It brought a terrible result despite having excellent players."
It added, "One shot on target, a defensive block that constantly dropped deep, and 25% possession — it is possible to become European champions with such a performance. But we are truly glad that such a thing did not happen this Saturday night," welcoming PSG's back-to-back title win for attempting football in the true sense.
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*This content was translated by AI.
