Arsenal Set Unwanted Champions League Record After PSG Final Heartbreak

Arsenal etched their name into the UEFA Champions League record books for the wrong reason on Saturday, May 30, after suffering a painful final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Champions League final defeat means the Gunners have now played 226 matches in the European elite competition without ever lifting the trophy, the highest tally by any club in the history of the competition, according to statistics company, Opta.

The unwanted record was confirmed after PSG defeated Arsenal on penalties following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. Kai Havertz gave the North London side hope, but Ousmane Dembele also found the net as the match finished level in regulation time before being decided from the penalty spot.

The defeat was Arsenal’s second in a Champions League final, after falling short in 2006. Twenty years later, their search for the first European crown continues.

There was more disappointment in the statistics. Arsenal’s average possession of 24.7 per cent was the lowest ever recorded by a team in a Champions League final since detailed records began in the 2003-04 season.

It was also the lowest possession figure posted by a side managed by Mikel Arteta in a match where Arsenal kept all 11 players on the pitch.