On a night that saw Arsenal squander a lead to ultimately lose 2-1 to French side RC Lens, coaches, players, and pundits dissected the performance.

The match was particularly noteworthy as it marked Lens’ return to Champions League football at home after 21 years. We round up what they had to say.

After RC Lens mounted a comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Arsenal, various individuals involved in the match shared their thoughts. This defeat pushes Lens to the top of Champions League Group B, adding a layer of urgency for the Gunners in their European quest.

Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka’s injury

“He tried to backheel a ball in the first half and he felt something. It was something muscular and he wasn’t comfortable to carry on, so we had to take him off.

“We don’t know anything more than that. Obviously, it was big enough not to allow him to continue to play the game and that’s obviously a worry for us,” said Mikel Arteta.

Franck Haise on his side’s win

Franck Haise celebrated his team’s resilience.

“To beat Arsenal when we are 1-0 down, for our first home game in 21 years in the Champions League, obviously it’s an achievement. But on the content [of the match], there are things that we have mastered. We did not outclass Arsenal but we did things well, especially the players,” said Haise.

Lens defender Kevin Danso on his side’s win

Kevin Danso praised his team’s performance on TNT Sports.

“I think we gave it our all today in front of our home fans. It was a difficult game. Arsenal had a lot of quality. They made us sit back really deep, but we kept defending and kept our concentration. We won the game, luckily,” Danso noted.

William Saliba on Arsenal conceding two sloppy goals

“It’s part of the game, we all make mistakes and we’re all together on this. Yeah, of course, we conceded two goals, so we’re not happy,” William Saliba told broadcasters.

Samir Nasri on Lens’ performance

Samir Nasri was enthusiastic about Lens’ effort as he served as a pundit on Canal+.

“I said that Lens could hope more than a draw. The players really rose to the occasion here tonight. Looking at the game, they clearly deserve the points. I’m very happy for them,” he exclaimed.

Mikel Arteta on the atmosphere generated by the Lens fans

“Mikel Arteta acknowledged the crowd’s impact.

“Obviously the atmosphere is very… well, I imagine it’s a big energy booster for them. We knew that it’s one of the best in the country and it was great to play, to embrace that moment and play in that atmosphere,” Arteta said.

Martin Odegaard on the match

“Martin Odegaard emphasised the need for self-reflection.

“Of course playing in Europe is tough, we played a good team today, they were strong, it was very difficult for us. But as I said, we need to take a look at ourselves and learn from it, move on,” Odegaard concluded.

Declan Rice comments

“You could say that [it was a difficult night], obviously with the result it doesn’t look good. I felt like we created enough to win the game for sure.

“We missed some big chances, especially after going one goal up. It’s a great finish from the guy who scored the first goal to be fair and obviously the one in the second half we created from our own problems.

“I think we totally dominated and controlled the match. They’re not an easy opponent, Lens. They go man for man all over the pitch and they’re constantly pressing you, trying to win the ball back high.

“We had to be on it in terms of our rotations and we got out really well. It was just that final bit that was lacking tonight. They defended very well, credit to them. Some of the centre-backs had some amazing performances. But look, I think it’s good for us. We’ve lost but we can learn a lot from tonight and we can go again.