Mikel Arteta revealed he watched every single penalty awarded in the Champions League this season ahead of Saturday’s final, though that only enhanced his frustration at the officiating in Arsenal's defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.
After it finished 1-1 at the end of 120 minutes in Budapest, PSG won the penalty shootout 4-3 to win the competition for the second season in a row.
PSG levelled midway through the second half when Cristhian Mosquera brought down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele converted from the spot.
In extra time, Arsenal had penalty appeals of their own after Noni Madueke went down under a challenge from Nuno Mendes.
Those were waved away and both Arteta and Declan Rice were then booked for their protests and demanding a VAR check.
The decision was not overturned and the final ultimately went to a shootout that was decided by Gabriel launching his spot-kick over the bar.
"We have had an incredible competition. We haven't lost a single match in the competition," Arteta said.
"But the reality is that when something had to go our way, especially in the boxes with the penalty that was given to Mosquera and then a penalty to Madueke and the penalty kicks, those margins didn't go for us.”
Pressed on whether he thought Madueke should have been awarded a penalty in extra time, Arteta added: "I watched all the penalties in the competition in the last 72 hours to understand what a penalty is and what is not, and that easily can be a penalty."
However, Arteta refused to be drawn on the suggestion that Arsenal would have been champions of Europe for the first time had that decision gone their way.
"If, if, if… it's not what happened and that's it," Arteta said.
"So we need to do better. We will have to improve and find different margins to get the outcome that we want."
