The Primera Liga club were awarded a last-minute penalty against Arsenal that would have allowed them level the tie at 1-1, but Jens Lehmann spreads saved Riquelme's spot kick to put the Londoners into next month's final against Barcelona.

"I always feel bad when we don't win," Riquelme told a news conference on Friday.

"I am responsible for taking penalties and sometimes you score, others you don't.

"But I am proud of my team and what we have achieved because we have had a marvellous Champions League campaign."

The modest Mediterranean club, from a town with just 48,000 inhabitants, exceeded all expectations on their debut in the competition as they edged out the likes of Inter Milan and Manchester United to make the last four.

They only won promotion to the Spanish top-flight for the first time seven years ago and had their first taste of European football in the 2002 Intertoto Cup.

Riquelme added: "Everyone has been great with me, not just now but ever since I arrived here.

"I hope I can continue to help the club grow because it is hard to believe what we have achieved over the last three years.

"We deserve credit for what we have done. Everyone in the Champions League wants to reach the final and we were so close, without having a side as strong as others."

Villarreal now have to focus their attentions on returning to Europe through the Primera Liga.

They are 10th in the league, four points short of the `places, and visit Getafe on Sunday.