Key events
Arsenal left Budapest bright and early this morning to get back to London in time for their Premier League title parade.
Brad McMillan has emailed in to say…
“I can’t help feeling Arsenal fans need to get over themselves, and stop complaining about the ‘vitriol’ aimed at them. This happens when you’re a big club who wins leagues and gets to finals, so take it as a sign of your success, not the target of some special hatred.
”Besides, Mourinho’s Chelsea never reached a Champions League final, so there’s no comparison there.”
Andy Hunter
“Mohamed Salah’s parting shot was to demand the return of heavy-metal football at Liverpool and, in their reasoning for sacking Arne Slot, the club’s hierarchy have concurred. It is a brutal, but understandable decision to remove Slot on the basis that Liverpool’s style must evolve, though responsibility for this season’s regression does not rest with the coach alone…”
In a statement on the Liverpool website on the departure of Arne Slot, the club owners wrote: “That this was a difficult decision for us to make as a club goes without saying. The contribution Arne has made to Liverpool FC in the time that he has been with us has been significant, meaningful and – most importantly of all to supporters and ourselves – successful.
“As such, our appreciation for everything he has achieved could not be greater, particularly as it was underpinned by a work ethic, a diligence and a level of expertise which further underlined our view that he is a leader in his field.
“From the moment that we first encountered Arne, it was immediately clear that he is an individual who does not merely accept responsibility, he embraces it. This was evident when he agreed to take over as head coach, when he guided us to the Premier League title and throughout the season just ended when he faced considerable challenges and burdens.
“At the same time, we have collectively come to the conclusion that change is necessary in order for the club to keep moving forward. Again, it must be stressed that this is not a decision which has been reached lightly, anything but.”
Liverpool sacked head coach Arne Slot yesterday, ending his two-year spell in Merseyside. Andoni Iraola is currently the favourite to replace him.
Right, let’s pause on talking about the Champions League final…
PSG head coach Luis Enrique told TNT Sports last night: “Arsenal are getting closer and closer. This team adds a bit more attacking power and desire. This team can have everything. It will hurt tonight.
“They played great. It’s normal. They try to take the match into phases they are strong. We tried to control the ball and press. We have won the title.
“It is cruel for Arsenal fans, but it is inevitable that this club win the Champions League. Mikel Arteta will see the positives because that is the kind of guy he is.”
The social media reaction was quite something last night…
Horrible to lose on penalties, even more so when it is such a huge game. Whilst I get fans of other clubs running arsenals fans noses in it a bit, the degree of revelling which seems to accompany them losing last night is fairly extraordinary. What is it which makes people dislike Arsenal so much? Is it just their style of play? I don’t recall Mourinhos Chelsea even receiving this level of vitriol.
With that, Arsenal fans, I want to hear from you! What are your thoughts on yesterday’s match? And how are you feeling now?
Also, let me know if you’re heading to the parade this afternoon. I saw plenty of Arsenal shirts on my way into The Guardian HQ this morning. It’s going to be a busy day in north London.
I was at the Emirates Stadium for the screening of the Champions League final yesterday, and there was quite an unusual vibe at full-time. Yes, everyone there was absolutely devastated about the result, but after a few moments there was a real sense of pride.
Nobody was angry, just gutted at having lost in the worst possible way.
It’s not often you see a trophy parade the day after a defeat like that, but fans, players and staff deserve to celebrate what has been a hugely successful season.
Police make more than 130 arrests during PSG celebrations
Paris police deployed thousands of officers to control crowds at some of the city’s hotspots, using teargas and arresting more than 130 people, after Paris Saint-Germain’s win over Arsenal in Saturday’s Champions League final.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports last night: “The emotions and the stakes are so high. It’s cruel. He [Arteta] spoke about how much he loves us as a group. How we’ve given 100 per cent every single game with everything that’s been thrown at us.
“This is only the start for us. We got over the line in the Premier League, this would’ve been one step further but it wasn’t to be. We keep building. Since I came to the club it was a quarter-final exit, then semi-final and now final. We keep going and keep staying positive. This isn’t going to define us.”
So, who impressed in Budapest? Click below to read Ed Aarons’ player ratings…
Mikel Arteta emphasised the need to take the pain from Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat and “turn it into fuel” for the 2026-27 season.
He said: “Pain, that’s it. When you are so close in the competition, and you are a few penalties away from winning the biggest club competition, that’s the way we should feel.
“First of all you have to go through that pain, digest it, and turn it into fuel. To improve and to reach a different level, because it would demand a different level with the quality around Europe. I want to congratulate PSG because they are in my opinion the best team in the world.”
Before we continue, be sure to click below to recap the action from last night.
Preamble
Hello, good morning and welcome to another Matchday live! It was Champions League final heartbreak for Arsenal last night as they fell to a 4-3 loss on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain. I have lost count of how many talking points came from the game, but we’ll look back at those throughout the day.
Speaking of Arsenal, they also celebrate their Premier League title win today with fans in north London from 2pm (BST) – hopefully last night’s defeat won’t leave them too disappointed.
The excitement does not stop there, as we will also be looking ahead to this afternoon’s Women’s FA Cup final between Manchester City and Brighton (3pm kick-off).
All that and more to come!
