PARIS PAIN FOR NEARLY MEN

PSG outclass an Arsenal team who fall short again

- From John Cross in Paris

IT WILL ultimately go down as a case of what might have been for Mikel Arteta's nearly men.

Martin Odegaard and you rarely get second chances on the biggest stage.

Arsenal just could not find the magic moment that Arteta had asked for from his players as their Champions League adventure came to an end in the Parc des Princes.

They are consigned to another season without a trophy but will look back on this night with regret because they had the chances particularly early on to pull off another huge result.

Paris Saint-Germain keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made the save of a lifetime to deny centre forward. Arsenal have run out of steam in the Premier League and ran out of luck in Europe here.

You cannot be too critical of them because, unlike in the first leg of this semi-final at the Emirates, they gave a strong account of themselves. This was their first Champions League semi-final in 16 years and they have gone furthest of all the English clubs. But it is now five years since Arteta won a trophy.

Arsenal have to sign top-class players including a centre forward - this summer to turn them into a consistent force again.

They gave it a good go last night, coming out all guns blazing, full of confidence. It looked early on as if they might just be able to pull off another great European night.

They went close three times in the opening 10 minutes.

Arteta had clearly seen a weakness in the PSG defence. Jurrien Timber's cross found Declan Rice, whose header went just wide.

Thomas Partey then launched a long throw and Gabriel Martinelli raced through a crowd of players, but Donnarumma made a terrific stop.