Jens Lehmann has admitted the Arsenal icon is ‘very disappointed’ with Mikel Arteta for the manager’s decision that is stopping the Gunners from being a ‘big club’ again.

The German enjoyed a heroic career in north London under Arsene Wenger and knew what it took to win. Lehmann lifted the Premier League title in 2003/04 as an Invincible, won the FA Cup in 2004/05 and also helped Arsenal to reach the Champions League final in 2005/06.

It remains the only time that Arsenal have ever reached the Champions League final in their storied history as a club. Arteta is even fighting to see Arsenal win their first Premier League title in 20 years this season. But the Gunners are relying on favours to beat Manchester City.

Arsenal must rely on favours to win their first Premier League title in 20 years

Arsenal sit a point clear of the Citizens atop the table after 35 games. But Pep Guardiola and his three-time reigning champions have a game in hand over the Emirates Stadium club. The Etihad Stadium side have also made the FA Cup final, while Arsenal exited in the third round.

But it was the way that Arsenal bowed out of the Champions League against Bayern Munich that frustrated Lehmann. The Gunners lost 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-0 defeat in the second leg in Bavaria. Mistakes from David Raya even helped to see their first leg end as a 2-2 draw.

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Arsenal struck first at Emirates Stadium through Bukayo Saka as the Hale End hero punished Eric Dier for standing off. Yet Raya mindlessly rushed off his line and saw Gabriel Magalhaes scramble for a pass but lost the ball. Raya also dived foolishly early for Harry Kane’s penalty.

Mikel Arteta ‘disappointed’ Jens Lehmann with how Arsenal lost in the Champions League

The second leg at the Allianz Arena was a cagey affair with all to play for. But Bayern Munich found the breakthrough in the 63rd minute as Joshua Kimmich peeled off Gabriel Martinelli to find Raphael Guerreiro’s cross. Kimmich placed a perfect header into the top corner, too.

Martinelli had enjoyed a chance to break the deadlock with the best chance of the first half in Germany. But Arsenal failed to make use of their few openings and bowed out of Europe in their first Champions League quarter-final since the 2009/10 season with a slim whimper.

Now, Lehmann has admitted that the Arsenal legend found Arteta’s match management in their defeat at Bayern Munich disappointing. He also feels a failure to add more silverware to Arsenal’s trophy cabinet is preventing Arteta from turning Arsenal into a ‘big club’ again.

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“He’s done a good job but, unfortunately, you’re talking to a guy who loves Arsenal, wants them to win and not just to be up there,” Gunners icon Lehmann has told the Daily Mail.

“I was very disappointed with how they lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League… Afterwards, they showed a great reaction beating Chelsea and Tottenham. But to be a big club, you have to win trophies.”