Mikel Arteta demanded his Arsenal players use the “rage” from their shock defeat to Bournemouth as motivation for a Champions League comeback against Paris St Germain.
The Gunners geared up for Wednesday’s semi-final second leg in France in the worst possible fashion with a 2-1 home defeat after second-half goals by Dean Huijsen and Evanilson cancelled out Declan Rice’s 34th-minute opener.
It made it back-to-back Emirates defeats after a 1-0 loss to PSG on Tuesday and, while the focus is on the return clash, Arteta knows his second-placed side now also face a fight for a top-five finish in the Premier League.
It ends in defeat.
Attention turns to Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/NtkmjQTAEL
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 3, 2025
“We have a lot to do, yes, because mathematically we are not qualified (for the Champions League), we haven’t had the right to finish second yet, so we still have a lot to do,” Arteta said.
“We didn’t kill it (the game) and, on top of that, you defend the box really poorly, the way we’ve done it in the two set-pieces that we have conceded again.
“We certainly wanted to create a really good vibe. A positive result would have really helped us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday.
“So, what we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy, so make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final.”
Arteta made only two changes from the midweek defeat – PSG boss Luis Enrique switched every outfield player for his side’s game at Strasbourg with the Ligue 1 title already wrapped up – but backed his team to be “fully recovered” for the showdown at the Parc des Princes.
He added: “They won the league so they have the luxury to do that.
“We haven’t because we still have a lot to do in the Premier League, but we have four days and I’m sure we’ll be fully recovered and our best to play the game.”
Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard all grimaced at various points in Saturday’s 2-1 loss, while Jurrien Timber watched from the stands.
Arteta revealed the Dutch defender is a doubt to face PSG, saying: “Confident? At the moment, no, because he wasn’t able to play here.”
Rice’s classy first-half finish, after he rounded Kepa Arrizabalaga following Odegaard’s excellent through-ball, had set Arsenal on course for a much-needed league win.
The Gunners, who had drawn five of their previous eight Premier League fixtures and have now dropped 21 points from winning positions, their equal highest tally alongside the 2019-20 season, were pegged back when Huijsen headed in a long throw by substitute Antoine Semenyo in the 67th minute.
Picking out his target from a long throw🎯
What an impact from @antoinesemenyo1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/G44ZllIqhQ
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) May 3, 2025
Alex Scott, who was also introduced alongside Semenyo, created the Cherries’ winner eight minutes later when his corner was flicked on by Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson bundled home at the back post.
VAR reviewed the incident over a suggestion of handball, but the goal stood due to a lack of “conclusive evidence” and Andoni Iraola toasted a slice of Bournemouth history after their first win at the Emirates sealed a league double over Arsenal.
“Yes, obviously this win, in this stadium, against this opponent, it is an extra (feeling),” Iraola said.
“Apart from the three points, it is true in this moment of the season it is even more welcome.
“We used this before the games with the players that we never get any points here basically. Not even one, so it was definitely a good moment to get the first win.”
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