Josh Hart Trolls Arsenal Over Champions League Final Loss: ‘London is Blue, Never Red’

Josh Hart, the New York Knicks forward and self-declared Chelsea supporter, took aim at Arsenal during media availability ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals, seizing on the Gunners’ UEFA Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain as an opportunity to land a pointed cross-sport jab.

Arsenal had fallen to PSG in Budapest following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, with the Gunners ultimately losing 4-3 on penalties. The result extended Arsenal’s wait for a first-ever UEFA Champions League title — a detail Hart was quick to highlight when a journalist posed a football question at the Frost Bank Centre during his pre-game press session.

“Arsenal is not humble because — Have they ever won a Champions League?” Hart said with a smirk, according to footage circulated on social media. “How long have they been around? They never won that? Okay. London’s blue, never red. Up to Chelsea.”

The remarks were made ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, a series in which the Knicks currently hold a 1-0 lead. Hart’s comments drew widespread attention online, with the clip shared extensively across football and basketball communities.

The banter arrived on the back of a remarkable individual performance by Hart in Game 1. Playing 27 minutes against the Spurs, the forward posted three points, 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and a block — a stat line that, according to NBA records, made him the first player in league history to record at least 15 rebounds, six assists, and four steals in a playoff game while playing fewer than 30 minutes.

Hart’s contribution provided the defensive and rebounding foundation that allowed teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson to engineer a dominant second-half comeback and secure the series-opening victory for New York.

For Arsenal, the Champions League final loss to PSG represents another chapter in a long continental struggle. The club, one of England’s most decorated domestically, has never lifted European football’s premier club trophy despite appearing in the final once before — a 2006 defeat to FC Barcelona. Their latest exit, via a penalty shootout on the grandest stage, has drawn reactions from well beyond the football world, as Hart’s comments illustrate.

Chelsea, the club Hart vocally supports, have won the UEFA Champions League twice — in 2012 and 2021 — giving the Knicks forward additional grounds for his ribbing. The two London clubs have maintained a fierce rivalry over decades, making Hart’s “London is Blue” declaration a familiar refrain among Chelsea supporters.

With the NBA Finals now underway and the Knicks in a strong position, Hart is expected to remain in the spotlight both for his performances on the court and his characteristically outspoken presence off it. Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs was scheduled to follow shortly after Hart’s media session at the Frost Bank Centre.