Arsenal will celebrate their Premier League title win on Sunday in front of their supporters in north London.
“If you’d offered them at the start of the season – that they would win the Premier League title and lose the Champions League final by a penalty kick, then it is not a bad season, it is a great season and I mean a really great season,” Pat Nevin told BBC Sport.
“Let’s remember they have lost tonight but they are the Premier League winners,” Onouha added.
“They have got their parade to look forward to and I don’t think there will be any fewer people turning up tomorrow just because they have lost the Champions League final.
“I think the club is in a great position, the manager has been there for many years now and he has a bunch of players who are still very very hungry, even though they have been successful.”
The review of the Arsenal squad will come in the summer but this team has progressed so much from the one that Arteta took over in 2019.
Bukayo Saka is the last player left from that squad and Arteta said it has been a “joy” to share this season with his players and staff.
Arsenal have looked at how they could generate money in the coming transfer window by potential player sales.
There is also a group of exciting youngsters, including 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly – who started in Budapest – Ethan Nwaneri, 19, and 16-year-olds Max Dowman and Marli Salmon who could emerge as first-team regulars in the coming seasons.
“It is cruel for Arsenal fans, but it is inevitable that this club win the Champions League,” European football expert Julien Laurens said on 5 Live.
“Mikel Arteta will see the positives because that is the kind of guy he is. Arsenal are getting closer and closer.”
And for Arteta, despite the pain, says he is ready to celebrate what has been a big step for his Arsenal side.
“I already know how they [the fans] feel about the team. I want to thank them for everything they’ve done for us throughout the season.”
“Difficult moments like this, they’ve been with us. It’s been a joy to see the reaction they’ve had when we’ve been able to win a league after 22 years.
“It hurts a lot for them not to win it today because I can’t even imagine what would have happened.
“We all had a huge desire to win it and tomorrow we’ll have a great day, I’m sure.”
