Davide Ancelotti has described Arsenal as “one of the best teams in the world” after Lille suffered a 3-0 defeat in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Gunners struggled to break down their French opponents during the opening hour, with Lille defending resolutely and threatening on the counterattack.

The visitors even thought they had taken the lead in the first half through Ayase Ueda, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

However, Arsenal eventually found their breakthrough through Jurrien Timber before Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka added two more goals in a devastating seven-minute spell.

Despite the result, Ancelotti believes the final scoreline was harsh on his players, who had competed strongly for much of the contest.

Speaking to UEFA, as reported by the Evening Standard, the Lille boss admitted his team struggled to cope once Arsenal increased the tempo after the hour mark.

Ancelotti Praises Arsenal’s Strength And Squad Depth

“In terms of what my players gave, I have no regrets,” Ancelotti said.

“The result is harsh on us; we battled hard. I don’t think the players deserve this scoreline.”

The Italian also acknowledged Arsenal’s ability to change matches through their substitutes, suggesting the hosts’ squad depth proved decisive.

“With the players they have on the bench, they can change the rhythm of the game. That’s what they did tonight,” he added.

Ancelotti urged his players to focus on the positives from their performance, particularly their ability to compete with Arsenal for 60 minutes.

“They have to take the good things they’ve done – how they competed face to face with one of the best teams in the world – and they will take a lot of learning tonight as well,” he explained.

The Lille manager also stressed that his priority is improving the squad throughout his time at the club.

Lille will now turn their attention to next Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Galatasaray, while Arsenal prepare for a challenging trip to Germany to face Bayern Munich.