Mikel Arteta admitted his Arsenal side still “have to learn” how to get over the line in the Champions League, after they were knocked out by Bayern Munich.
The Gunners travelled to Munich with the quarter-final tie still firmly in the balance, but Joshua Kimmich’s second-half header was enough to give Bayern a narrow victory on the night and a 3-2 aggregate win.
It brought an end to Arsenal’s first season back at Europe’s top table since the 2016/17 campaign, as they fell just short in their bid to end a 15-year-wait for a Champions League semi-final appearance.
Arsenal were favourites to progress when the two sides were drawn against each other, with Bayern failing to win the Bundesliga title in what has been a hugely disappointing season domestically.
However, ahead of the second leg, Thomas Tuchel pointed to the advantage his side had when it came to experience of big Champions League nights, and Bayern duly delivered to set up a semi-final against Real Madrid.
“We haven’t played this competition for seven years and we haven’t been in this stage for 14 years,” Arteta said.
“There’s a reason for it. We want to do everything fast forward, super quick in one season. I think we have the capacity and the quality to be in the semi-final because the margins are very small. Those margins are coming from something else that maybe we don’t have yet. We have to learn it.
“When you look historically it took other clubs seven, eight or 10 years to do it. Today that’s not going to make us feel better that’s for sure.”
It is now three matches without a win for Arsenal and back-to-back defeats, after they were beaten by Aston Villa on Sunday to hand control of the Premier League title race to Manchester City.
The Gunners’ challenge last year ended in tame fashion, as they fell away alarmingly in the final weeks of the season, and the pressure is now firmly on to ensure there is no repeat this time, starting with a trip to Wolves on Saturday night.
“I wish I had the right words today to make the players feel better,” Arteta said.
“What me and all the coaching staff are going to do is be close to the players. I feel so grateful to be their coach and work with them every day. What we need to do is stand right next to them, give them our support and our love.
“We have to pick it up because we have a big, big game on Saturday. We’re still playing for the Premier League and we really want it and we have to show that we’re capable of turning it around.”
