Mikel Arteta is one of the best managers in the world and what he has done at Arsenal over the last four years is genuinely extraordinary. But Saturday night in Budapest was not his finest hour in terms of decision making and it is worth being honest about that even while recognising the brilliance of what came before it.
The first big call was starting Martin Odegaard over Eberechi Eze. Odegaard is Arsenal's captain and their most technically gifted midfielder. He also had a difficult season by his own standards, frequently found below his best and often more effective when coming off the bench with fresh legs and space to exploit. Eze started several of Arsenal's biggest Champions League games this season and was excellent. The stats backed starting Eze. The logic backed starting Eze. Arteta went with Odegaard and the Norwegian had a quiet game, operating in pockets of space that PSG's press simply did not allow him to find. He was subbed off before extra time even began, which meant he was unavailable for the penalty shootout. A captain and your most creative midfielder not available for the biggest moment of the season.
The second and third decisions are connected and frankly more damaging. Arteta brought Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke on in the 91st minute specifically to give Arsenal fresh legs for extra time and options in the shootout. That is the only logical reason to make those changes at that moment. And then when the penalties came, neither of them stepped up. A centre-back who had never taken a professional penalty outside of a shootout volunteered to go before either of them. Gabriel skied it. Arsenal were out. The question of why Zubimendi and Madueke were brought on in extra time if they were not going to take penalties in the shootout does not have a satisfying answer.
Zubimendi has been a significant disappointment since joining Arsenal in the summer. Signed to be the midfield anchor that would free Declan Rice to do more, he has been invisible in big games throughout the season. Saturday night was another example. He came on and did nothing of note and then hid when it mattered most. Madueke is a different case — he was brought to Arsenal for his directness and his ability to hurt teams in transition. That quality never appeared in Budapest either. Two players brought on for a specific purpose who failed to deliver on either front.
Arteta deserves enormous credit for what he has built. The Premier League title. An unbeaten Champions League campaign across 90 minutes. Reaching the final. All of that is real. But the decisions on Saturday night cost Arsenal the trophy and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. Eze should have started. Zubimendi should not be at Arsenal next season. And Madueke needs to seriously ask himself whether he is good enough to be Arsenal's plan B in a Champions League final.
Let me know your thoughts.