Thierry Henry stresses that Arsenal’s campaign still rates as a major success, even after the Champions League heartbreak against Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal missed out on a first European Cup after losing 4-3 on penalties, yet Henry argues the Premier League title and overall progress mean the season remains something to respect rather than regret.

The final at the Puskas Arena finished 1-1 after extra time, with Arsenal then falling in the shoot-out. Kai Havertz scored in the sixth minute, becoming only the third player to net in Champions League finals for different clubs, but that early strike turned out to be Arsenal’s only effort on target across 120 tense minutes.

Henry points to Arsenal’s domestic success as vital context for the European disappointment. Arsenal secured the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years, displaying consistency and defensive strength across the season. For Henry, that title win offsets the pain of the narrow loss to Luis Enrique’s side, who were defending Champions League holders.

Speaking after the match, Henry insisted that the narrative around Arsenal should not focus on collapse. “People don’t like to embrace failureand this is not failure, that is a great season for Arsenal, Henry told CBS Sports. You came short against an outstanding team, you pushed them all the way, Henry continued. But failure helps you win so make sure you feel it and don’t keep it too much but we’ll be back.”

While Henry highlighted progress, Jamie Carragher underlined gaps in Arsenal’s attacking quality. Carragher felt Mikel Arteta’s side set up in the only realistic way to challenge PSG but still lacked enough threat in the final third. The contrast between the forward lines of both teams, in Carragher’s view, exposed a lingering weakness in Arsenal’s squad.

Carragher repeated a criticism he has made throughout the season. “That’s always been the criticism of Arteta. I think they played the only way they could have played to try and beat PSG, he told Sky Sports. I’ve said all season, and I thought it would stop them winning the leagueit didn’tbut Arsenal don’t have enough quality in attack. There was times in the first half when they couldn’t keep the ball. PSG weren’t creating chances, but it was far too easy to allow a team to push you back to the edge of your own box. Arsenal are the best team in the world at defending their own box. Even if they are the champions of England, they need better attackers. When you look at the quality of the front four of PSG compared to Arsenal, it’s night and day.”

Arsenal defensive strength and PSG Champions League scoring record

Across this Champions League campaign, Arsenal earned praise for organisation without the ball. Arteta’s team conceded just seven goals in Europe, building on the Premier League’s best defensive record. PSG, by contrast, allowed 23 goals in the tournament yet compensated with volume in attack, becoming the joint-highest scorers in a single Champions League season.

PSG’s return of 45 goals matched the record set by Barcelona 26 years earlier, underlining the challenge Arsenal faced. That attacking power, combined with Arsenal’s cautious approach, shaped the pattern of the final. PSG dominated territory for long spells, forcing Arsenal to defend deep near the penalty area for extended periods.

Arsenal Champions League final statistics and match pattern

Possession figures revealed how much of the initiative Arsenal surrendered. Arsenal’s average share of the ball in the final was 24.7%, the lowest recorded for any team in a Champions League final since detailed data began in 2003-04. It was also the smallest possession figure for any Arsenal match under Arteta with 11 players on the pitch throughout.

PSG still needed a second-half penalty from Ousmane Dembele to cancel out Havertz’s opener. Bradley Barcola missed two clear chances before extra time, as Arsenal’s deep block and penalty-area defending repeatedly kept PSG at bay. The match moved into a shoot-out where Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes failed from the spot, handing PSG another European crown.

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The penalty drama crowned another successful European run for PSG. The French champions retained the trophy and became just the second club to win back-to-back titles in the Champions League era. Arsenal, meanwhile, suffered a harsh end after matching the holders for 120 minutes but creating little in open play beyond Havertz’s early goal.