Mikel mocks Arsenal after UCL defeat

Nigerian legend John Obi Mikel didn’t waste time adding to Arsenal’s pain after their Champions League final loss to PSG on penalties last Saturday. He backed Chelsea’s sharp social media jab at their London rivals and shared his own blunt opinion, backed by his own trophy haul.

Chelsea’s official Instagram account posted a photo of the Champions League trophy at Stamford Bridge the day after Arsenal’s defeat. The caption read, “Come and visit London’s home of trophies.”

This post was clearly aimed at Arsenal, who still don’t have a European title despite reaching two Champions League finals in their history.

When Mikel saw the post, he spoke freely. “Amazing post. This trophy, wow, amazing trophy. Arsenal cannot touch this trophy. They cannot touch it. We are the team,” he said.

When asked if Chelsea should feel sorry for Arsenal after their penalty heartbreak, Mikel did not hold back. “Never say sorry to Arsenal. We are the only team in London that have won the Champions League. It is amazing to see Arsenal do what they do best, they always find a way to bottle it, and they did.”

Mikel also took a shot at Arsenal fans while predicting a Chelsea comeback next season. “Arsenal fans are the worst fans, delusional. But Chelsea, we are the best. We have had a poor season, but next season we are going to be back,” he added.

Mikel speaks from experience, having had his share of big European nights. He spent eleven years at Chelsea and won nine major trophies. The highlight was the UEFA Champions League in 2012, where he played the full 120 minutes in the final against Bayern Munich. That game remains one of his best performances.

He was also a key player in the two-legged semi-final victory over Barcelona that same year. The next season, he added the UEFA Europa League to his titles, making him one of the few players to win both major European trophies. By the time he left Stamford Bridge in 2017, he had won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup four times, the League Cup twice, and both the Champions League and Europa League.

In contrast, Arsenal have never won a European trophy in their 140-year history. Their best performance in the Champions League was finishing second in 2006, when they lost to Barcelona in Paris. Saturday night in Budapest marked their first return to a final since then. The Gunners missed two penalties in the shootout as PSG took their second straight Champions League title, keeping Arsenal waiting for the one trophy that has always slipped from their grasp.