Arsenal have been at the centre of fierce debate after falling to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final, losing 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw across 120 minutes of play. Former England striker Gary Lineker has described PSG's triumph as a victory for positive football — a sentiment echoed by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson.

Lineker's verdict on the final

Speaking on his Rest is Football podcast, Lineker acknowledged that Mikel Arteta's side had little choice but to set up defensively. "As a fan with no skin in the game, I think Arsenal had to play that way because they wouldn't have beaten PSG any other way," he said. "But at the same time, I think football won."

He went further, adding: "As a complete neutral I would say it's a victory for positive football over negative football." While praising Arsenal's "brilliant" defending, Lineker argued that the best team on the night ultimately claimed the trophy. "Football is entertainment and you want to see teams that are really positive, creative and have the best players and play wonderful football… in terms of how football should be played, the best team won," the ex-Tottenham striker said.

Ferguson and the numbers tell the same story

Sir Alex Ferguson, never one to hold back, sent a text message to PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi in the aftermath of the final. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, it read: "You were the team that played football" — widely interpreted as a pointed critique of Arsenal's approach.

The statistics reinforce that view. PSG dominated possession, recording 75 percent to Arsenal's 25 percent. The French champions also created three Opta-defined Big Chances to Arsenal's one, and registered 21 shots compared to Arsenal's seven. Arteta's men managed just 0.51 expected goals across the entire 120 minutes, with Kai Havertz's effort in the 6th minute among their most threatening moments.

Neves adds his voice

PSG midfielder Joao Neves, who featured for every available minute of the final, was equally candid in his assessment. "I think we deserved this title. I saw only one team on the pitch, to be honest," said the 21-year-old.

The result arrives just weeks after Arsenal claimed the 2025/26 Premier League title, meaning Arteta's squad end a historic domestic season with the bitter taste of a Champions League final defeat — and a broader conversation about the limits of defensive pragmatism at the highest level of European football.