Ferguson reportedly called Arsenal 'boring' in private text to PSG president after Champions League final

Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly sent a private text to PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi congratulating the French club on their Champions League final victory over Arsenal in Budapest, in which he allegedly described Mikel Arteta’s side as ‘boring’. French outlet L’Equipe published the contents of the message, which read: “Nasser, this is Alex Ferguson. Well done, it was a tough night for you, but you played against a boring team that did nothing but defend. Enjoy your holidays, you deserve it.”

PSG defeated Arsenal on penalties after a 1-1 draw across 120 minutes. Kai Havertz gave the Gunners an early lead, but Ousmane Dembele equalised from the spot in the second half. Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes both missed in the shoot-out as Arsenal fell short of completing a historic Premier League and Champions League double.

The statistics underlined Arsenal’s defensive approach on the night. Arteta’s side managed less than 25 per cent of possession across the full 120 minutes, and their opening goal was their only shot on target throughout the match.

However, the veracity of Ferguson’s exact wording has been called into question. TalkSPORT reporter Ben Jacobs claimed the two-time Champions League winner with Manchester United did not use the word ‘boring’, and instead offered a more measured compliment to PSG, saying: “You were the team that played football.”

PSG midfielder Joao Neves also commented on Arsenal’s style of play after the final whistle. “We deserved it today, because PSG were the only team that wanted to play,” he said, echoing the sentiment attributed to Ferguson in the disputed text.

Al-Khelaifi was magnanimous in victory when speaking publicly after the match. “Bad luck to Arsenal, great team, fantastic team, all the best, big respect for them,” the PSG president said, before reflecting on the significance of back-to-back Champions League titles for the club. “Everybody doubted us again, but thank god we made it and we believed.”

Ferguson, who won the Champions League with United in 1999 and 2008, has no formal role at any club but remains a prominent figure in the game. Whether his private message used the word ‘boring’ or not, the conflicting accounts have drawn fresh attention to Arsenal’s tactical approach in one of the biggest games in the club’s recent history.