After his team failed to make the statement required, Mikel Arteta had evidently been considering a few different messages. He first had to find the right words for his players.
By the time the Arsenal squad got back to their families in Budapest, there were a lot of tears. It turns out this fixture could never be a “free hit”, even if you have just won a title. It’s far too big, with too much meaning. Arsenal came far too close to a feat that all of these players have dreamed about; to be European champions.
