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PSG midfielder Vitinha has stated that Les Parisiens control matches in the UEFA Champions League, which was key for them in the wins over Arsenal. PSG secured a 1-0 win at the Emirates against the Gunners and a 2-1 win at the Parc des Princes in the semifinals of the Champions League.
Vitinha added that they played with the same intensity against Liverpool in the Round of 16 and Aston Villa in the quarterfinals.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel, Vitinha stated that the main worry for him ahead of their knockout round matches was about their control over the games. He believes that the midfield was key for their wins over the Premier League sides and said (via Arsenal Insider):
"We're going to [bring] a different intensity. That was the main worry, for myself, that I got before playing them, the kind of intensity that they put in defence and attack. We saw it against Liverpool at Anfield, Aston Villa at Villa [Park]. We saw it against Arsenal [at the Parc des Princes]. Sometimes we couldn't have the control that we wanted, but most of the time we had it. And I think it was the key to most of the wins that we had because that's our strength."
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PSG won 4-1 on penalties against Liverpool in the Round of 16, before beating Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals. They will face Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, May 31.
Arsenal were the best team in the Champions League this season, claimed Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta was adamant that Arsenal were the best side in the UEFA Champions League this season. He stated that he was proud of his players after the 3-1 aggregate loss to PSG and said (via GOAL):
"I don't think there's been a better team in the competition from what I've seen. But we are out. We deserved much more but this competition is about the boxes, the strikers most of the time and the goalkeeper and theirs was the best player in both games."
"I'm so proud of the boys, they deserve lots of credit for what they're doing and the amount of injuries. We arrived here in the worst state. You have to get here with everyone fit and available with lots of minutes. They had a week. We came here in a different context. That gives me a lot of positivity for the future."
Arsenal are finishing their fifth season without a trophy under Mikel Arteta. They won the FA Cup in his first few months at the club in 2020, when he replaced Unai Emery in the middle of the season.
