Thomas Tuchel praised Arsenal’s performance in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg but attributed Bayern Munich’s victory to their wealth of experience in high-stakes matches.
Despite Arsenal being considered favorites due to Bayern’s challenging domestic season, a 2-2 draw in the first leg was followed by a 1-0 defeat in the return fixture, securing Bayern’s spot in the semi-finals.
Tuchel commended Arsenal’s recent improvement but emphasized Bayern’s history of success in significant matches.
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“I consider them an elite team,” Tuchel stated. “I understand that Mikel [Arteta] may not want to hear this. Watching Arsenal’s games is consistently enjoyable, and there’s always something to learn. However, they may lack experience in matches of this magnitude.”
Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal may not yet be prepared to compete at such a high level, particularly given their recent return to the Champions League.
“We haven’t participated in this competition for seven years, and we haven’t been in this position for 14 years,” Arteta noted. “There’s a reason for that, and we’re striving to address it. Despite the rapid progress this season, reaching the semi-final was within our capacity and quality, but small margins often make the difference, which we may lack at the moment.”
“We must learn from this,” Arteta continued. “Historically, it has taken clubs seven, eight, sometimes even ten years to reach certain stages. Although this may not bring immediate comfort, it is a reality we must acknowledge.”