RismadarVoice Reporters, May 31, 2026
Chelsea icon, Craig Burley has criticised Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta following the Gunners’ defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final, describing the team’s approach as “embarrassing” and overly defensive.
Arsenal fell short of their first Champions League title after losing on penalties to PSG in Budapest, despite taking an early lead through Kai Havertz, who scored in the sixth minute with a well-taken finish from a tight angle.
PSG equalised in the second half through an Ousmane Dembélé penalty, before the match eventually went to a shootout. Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli missed the decisive penalty, sending it over the bar as PSG claimed back-to-back Champions League titles.
The Gunners’ performance was defined by a deep defensive approach after their early goal, with Arsenal reportedly recording just 24.7 per cent possession — one of the lowest ever recorded in a Champions League final.
Burley, speaking on ESPN, strongly criticised Arsenal’s tactical approach, arguing that the team abandoned attacking intent too early in the match.
“Let’s be clear, after they scored in the sixth minute, they attempted to defend their way to the 90th minute,” Burley said.
“Three times from a kick-off, they launched it forward as if it were a rugby match. That’s embarrassing.”
He added that Arsenal’s approach resembled outdated tactical styles and questioned the logic of defending for long periods against elite opposition after scoring early.
“They’ve opted to say, ‘let’s just kick a high ball every time we have a kick-off and hope to win. That’s reminiscent of 1980s football in England,’” he said.
Burley further argued that while reaching the final was an achievement, Arsenal’s approach after taking the lead made it difficult to justify the praise they received.
“If your strategy, once you score, is to sit back and allow the best team in Europe to have possession for 84 minutes, that’s not a viable strategy to win this competition,” he said.
The result marks another painful Champions League final defeat for Arsenal as PSG continue their recent dominance in European football.
