Chelsea have released a statement after their eyebrow-raising tweet following Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday evening went viral.

Arsenal, competing in only their second-ever Champions League final, pushed PSG all the way but eventually lost on penalties. Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes missed their spot-kicks in the shootout as the Parisians secured their second successive European Cup.

Shortly after the final whistle, Chelsea posted a photo of their most-recent Champions League trophy (sealed in May 2021, courtesy of a 1-0 win over Manchester City), alongside the caption: “Come and visit London’s Home of Trophies. Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now.”

Chelsea’s cheeky tweet has racked up 139k reposts, 14k bookmarks and a whopping 421k ‘likes’, not to mention a further 24k replies.

Chelsea’s Statement After Posting Controversial Tweet

While Chelsea supporters and other fans of Arsenal rivals have seen the funny side, the same can’t be said for the crestfallen Gunners’ faithful.

Following some backlash to their tweet, Chelsea released a statement on X (Twitter) around 1am. Mocking their own red card record this season, the west London outfit posted:

“What in the utter woke nonsense is this…” replied one Chelsea fan, while another tweeted: “Oh my god, delete this you wet wipes.”

The tweet hasn’t appeased Arsenal supporters either, with one commenting: “Thanks but no thanks for the congratulatory message. You won’t be competing with us… know your place in the food chain.” Ouch.

Arteta Devastated After Champions League Final Defeat

While Arsenal have enjoyed an excellent season, ending their 22-year wait for the Premier League trophy in the process, missing the opportunity to become European champions for the first time in the club’s history will still be a bitter pill for Mikel Arteta and his players to swallow this summer.

Asked to sum up his emotions after the final, Arteta was quoted by The Guardian as saying: “Pain, that’s it.

“When you are so close in the competition, and you are a few penalties away from winning the biggest club competition, that’s the way we should feel.”

The Spaniard added: “First of all you have to go through that pain, digest it, and turn it into fuel. To improve and to reach a different level, because it would demand a different level with the quality around Europe. I want to congratulate PSG because they are in my opinion the best team in the world.”

Erling Haaland is one of several players to seemingly fire indirect shots at Arsenal with a post on social media, following the Premier League side’s defeat in the Champions League final.

The Gunners took the lead early on through Kai Havertz, as they hunted down the trophy for the first time in their history, but Ousmane Dembele‘s coolly finished penalty in the second half drew PSG level.

Both teams pushed for a winner in regulation time and extra time, but neither could find that one golden opportunity to seal the win, forcing it to be decided by a penalty shootout.

In the end, misses from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes sealed Arsenal‘s fate, losing the Champions League final and a chance at a historic double.

While the Premier League title will be the main focus for the players, who will get an opportunity to celebrate on Sunday at an Emirates Stadium parade, it is their rivals who celebrated on Saturday night.

Erling Haaland’s Wordless Arsenal Post

Plenty of Arsenal’s rivals seemingly relished the team losing in the Champions League final, taking an opportunity to rub it in on social media.

Chelsea posted a savage shot at the Gunners over the defeat, making reference to their two Champions League triumphs, as well as their Club World Cup win.

And shortly after, Erling Haaland appeared to take a cheeky dig at Arsenal with a post of his own on social media.

The Norwegian striker posted a photo of himself smiling, surrounded by friends, with the caption remaining wordless, but posted conveniently just after the Gunners lost.

The time is likely no coincidence, with the 25-year-old knowledgeable when it comes to what people will talk about in football, as seen in his many battles with Arsenal.

Haaland famously told the Gunners to “stay humble” in a previous clash with the side, as both teams have continued to battle it out for the Premier League over the past four years.

Earlier this campaign, the striker simply smirked and sang lyrics Flo Rida song “Good Feeling” after he helped Man City secure a huge win over Arsenal, ripping the title race wide open.

While that didn’t go in his favour in the end, it appears as though Haaland has got at least one last laugh over his rivals, and he isn’t the only one.

Tottenham Players Fire Shots At Arsenal

It wasn’t just Haaland who had his fun after Arsenal’s defeat, as their nearest and dearest rivals, Tottenham, seemingly joined in the mix through a few of their key players.

Richarlison was among the first, posting a video of a child laughing, with awfully coincidental timing to the Gunners losing the final in the shootout.

Djed Spence quickly followed, responding to an Arsenal tweet from back in February that said “Locked up” in reference to the full-back struggling in the North London Derby.

He simply replied with eye emojis and an unlocked lock, without making too many comments on the actual match itself.

That may make for a slightly frosty reception when Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke all meet up with Spence in the England camp in a few days time for the 2026 World Cup.

Arsenal have been criticised for their display against PSG, as midfielder Joao Neves claims they were the only team who “wanted to play” in the Champions League final.

It comes as the Gunners were left narrowly defeated on penalties at the hands of the Ligue 1 champions, who sealed the European title in back-to-back seasons.

Gabriel Magalhaes’s penalty was decisive, as he blasted the ball over the bar, ensuring that Mikel Arteta‘s side are still chasing their first Champions League triumph.

The match itself played out in a set pattern, with Arsenal scoring early and then dropping into a mid-block, while PSG dictated possession but created few clear-cut chances.

While it was ultimately a game of chance that saw them defeated in the end, the Gunners have received some criticism for their style of play.

Arsenal Criticised By PSG Star

Speaking after PSG’s win over Arsenal, Joao Neves paid tribute to his team, but also took aim at the Gunners for how they approached the game.

He told French television outlet M6: “The emotion is there. It’s the second time I’ve been a European champion. It’s not even the victory itself that pleases me, but playing with such teammates, this staff, and this management.

“Coming here was the best decision I’ve ever made. I love everything here. We deserved it today (Saturday), because PSG were the only team that wanted to play.”

It’s a clear shot aimed at Arsenal, who were looking to frustrate PSG after taking the lead, but were unable to see it through for the victory in the end.

The Gunners managed just 28% possession to PSG’s 72%, showing a clear difference in approach across the full 120 minutes that the North London team just couldn’t cope with.

“This year was different. It was harder, more physical,” Neves reflected on the Champions League campaign as a whole. “We were European champions, so we defended our title.

“We’re part of PSG history (he’s interrupted by Luis Campos). We’re all happy. I want to enjoy this with my teammates now.”

While it’ll be a celebratory mood in Paris, it’s Arsenal who are left wondering “What if?”.

Declan Rice On Arsenal Final

While Neves was the midfield maestro celebrating, it was Arsenal’s own midfield giant Declan Rice who faced the media after his side’s difficult defeat.

Speaking to TNT Sports on the match, he said: “The emotions and the stakes are so high. It’s cruel. He [Arteta] spoke about how much he loves us as a group. How we’ve given 100 per cent every single game with everything that’s been thrown at us.

“This is only the start for us. We got over the line in the Premier League, this would’ve been one step further but it wasn’t to be.

“We keep building. Since I came to the club, it was a quarter-final exit, then semi-final and now final. We keep going and keep staying positive. This isn’t going to define us.”

For Arsenal, there will be a moment to go back to London and celebrate the Premier League title win, but the focus will quickly shift to where they can improve.

The summer transfer window will be crucial for the Gunners in being able to take the leap to European champions.