Arteta: PSG and Bayern in 'Different Worlds' Compared to Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has stated that Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich operate in "different worlds" compared to Arsenal, calling their Champions League semi-final first leg "the best game I have ever witnessed."

Arsenal drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in their semi-final first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Wednesday, leaving the tie finely balanced. A day earlier, PSG defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in a thrilling encounter at Parc des Princes, equaling the record for the highest-scoring Champions League semi-final, set by Eintracht Frankfurt's 6-3 win over Rangers in 1959-60.

Arteta attributed the disparity in quality between the two matches to the freshness of the players involved. "Bayern-PSG is probably the best game I have ever witnessed in terms of the quality of both teams, particularly the individual brilliance displayed," he said.

"I’ve never seen something like this. But when you consider the minutes played and the freshness of those players, it’s not surprising. To produce such moments of quality, you need to be at peak freshness. The difference in leagues and how they compete is night and day—just look at the recent statistics."

"We are competing in two different worlds, so making comparisons without context isn’t fair," Arteta added.