Wilshere noted that it will not take another 20 years for Arsenal to return to the Champions League final.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere and ex-Man United star Owen Hargreaves have applauded the Gunners’ performance in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) despite their heartbreaking defeat in the final.
The two former England internationals praised the Arsenal players while analyzing the match on TNT Sports after the final whistle.
TheNiche had earlier reported that Paris Saint-Germain defeated the North London outfit on penalties to win back-to-back UCL trophies, after the elite European final ended 1-1 following 120 minutes of play.
Mikel Arteta’s men took an early lead in the 6th minute after Kai Havertz raced through and finished a sharp attacking move.
They remained resolute until PSG were awarded a penalty in the second half, after Cristhian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the box.
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Ousmane Dembélé stepped forward and sent David Raya the wrong way to level the score for the French champions.
With the match deadlocked through extra time, it went to a shootout. Ultimately, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhães missed their spot-kicks, handing PSG their second consecutive UCL silverware.
Reacting to the disappointment, Wilshere insisted that it will not take another 20 years for Arsenal to compete for Europe’s biggest prize again.
“It will take some time to recover, but I am confident it will not take another 20 years to reach another final with Mikel at the helm,” Wilshere said. “I believed we [Arsenal] could win on penalties, but it is a difficult outcome to accept.”
Also speaking on the match, Hargreaves added: “What an incredible journey this team has taken their supporters on. They are the best in the Premier League and among the elite in Europe. Arsenal is here to stay, and they will rise again.”
