James Benge

CBS Sports Football Correspondent, Views own

[CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ @CBSSportsGolazo]

History on and off the pitch 🏆

PSG’s victory over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League Final is officially the most-watched club soccer match in U.S. English-language TV history, averaging 3M+ viewers on CBS and peaking at nearly 4M during the penalty shootout 📺⚽️

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

The shade of the Spygate appeal panel. The shade.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Having come so close, now what for Arsenal?

The problem is obvious: they need best of the best attackers. Could Kroupi and Rogers, both targets, be the players to push Arsenal to “another level”?

https://t.co/4uIwTt6Oqn

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Just got off a flight from Budapest that was magnificently timed so that I missed even watching the parade from afar.

But wow. That club. That city. That fan base.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Watched Arteta's press conference back. In a deeply emotional state, it's really impressive how he finds the space between ambitious and compassionate. In one breath he's saying one million thanks wouldn't be enough for his squad, the next vowing to be "very, very ambitious".

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Nuno Mendes and Marquinhos played more minutes in the Champions League this season than they did in Ligue 1.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

One of the many impressive things that Luis Enrique has done for PSG is seen Ligue 1 for what it is.

In 21-22 Mbappe played 3000 minutes across 35 games. Dembele has fewer Ligue 1 minutes in the last two seasons combined. Neymar and Messi would be minutes leaders for PSG now.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

@noseycallum2108 Fuck off

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

To the last Arsenal were themselves. And they were brilliant. The goal here is not to enrapture neutrals but to win football matches.

They came so close to the perfect defensive game. It would have been a worthy way to win. https://t.co/jVaMpvxaCU

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

@wheresmyarsenal Sorry, what are you trying to say here?

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

There were only two games this season where PSG had fewer non-penalty expected goals through 90 minutes than today.

Arsenal came so close to a perfect defensive game. That is going to hurt.

[AFTV @AFTVMedia]

In sports, there are winners, and of course there are losers. We ended up on the wrong side of the result today. Congratulations to PSG, with all due respect.

But don't disrespect our players please. Every single one of our players put their bodies on the line until the very last minute. Hincapie even played the whole extra time with a crippled leg.

Every one of them contributed to this journey, and even though the result is not what we wanted, we are proud of them. Keep your heads up and keep fighting!

[Charles Watts @charles_watts]

Heartbreak. The worst way to lose. But what a season it’s been. Can’t wait for tomorrow. Give these champions the support and reception they deserve around the streets of north London.

[Hugh Laurie @hughlaurie]

Congratulations to PSG - although, honestly, I thought the Arse had the best of it. Back 4 immense. Back 5, in fact. And Gabriel is a giant. Standing straight and accepting. Incredible.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Arteta says he watched every penalty in the competition to understand what could and couldn't be given. On Madueke's he said it "easily could have been given".

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Arteta: What I said to the players and the staff was if I said a million times thank you it won’t be enough… The joy and moments we have lived together, that’s above anything else.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Arteta asked how he is feeling: Pain

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Imagine how long this has been in drafts

[Djed Spence @DjedSpence]

👀🔓

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Gabriel's a man who steps up for the big moments, who relishes pressure. He strikes a ball pretty well too. Plenty of defenders score penalties, including Beraldo and Hakimi. Let's not go down the nonsense route of why didn't x player take it.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

@7Packets Gabriel's a great ball striker, he embraces pressure moments. The fact that he's a centre back is by the by. Any player can hit a penalty on goal more often than not.

[James Benge @jamesbenge]

Really struck by a sense every time one of them steps up that these guys have given so much for Arsenal, many of them for so long. They don't deserve to maybe be the guy that misses. Someone might have to be. This is a cruel sport.