The Arsenal management and players departed St Jakob Park without a hint of triumphalism. Arsène Wenger had spent most of his post‑match duties warning that even as surprise group winners, the Champions League draw in Nyon next week may still pair his team against daunting opposition in the last 16.

Laurent Koscielny suggested the only advantage that had been gained was the opportunity to play the second leg of the next stage at home.

The true significance of Arsenal’s achievement in topping Group A had to be gauged from the fallout at Parc des Princes. There, Paris Saint-Germain were struggling to comprehend how this had been allowed to happen. How could a team who had so outclassed Arsenal for large periods of their meetings, home and away, and had scored twice at the Emirates Stadium, end up second in the group, casting concerned glances at the identity of the various group winners and shivering in apprehension at the permutations for the knockout?

Unai Emery had hoped this competition might exorcise his stodgy start in Paris and convince all that he is the man to take PSG to the next level. And yet he was talking of “disappointment”, gnashing his teeth at his team’s inability to convert chances, crosses and corners against Ludogorets Razgrad – a side Arsenal had thrashed 6-0 at home – and suggesting PSG had deserved to top the group for their performance in London alone.

Those sentiments were echoed by Blaise Matuidi, Thomas Meunier and Edinson Cavani in numbed monotones before departing the ground.

The PSG president, Nasser al-Khelaïfi, was struggling to mask his exasperation. “First place had been our target,” he said. “We were first before this match. Now we are so disappointed with this game, the result, and also the quality of our performance. We had so many chances and made two errors at the back. So we lost two points and with it first place.

“We’ve qualified but we would normally expect to win this game. I was expecting more of the players. All we can do is put it behind us, try to forget about it and hope they react. I have confidence in my players and in my coach.”

The sense of deflation was palpable, even at a club who have progressed well into the latter stages after finishing second before. So Arsenal, privately at least, should be pepped to acknowledge they eclipsed France’s nouveaux riches to secure top spot for only the second time in seven seasons. Wenger’s next objective is to steer his side beyond the last 16 for the first time since they reached the quarter-finals in 2010 – Barcelona and Lionel Messi curtailed their involvement at that point – and he can approach that task with a sense of cautious optimism.

The group stage has clearly offered up hope. Arsenal, unbeaten through the section for the first time since 2005‑06, when they reached the final, were outstanding in dispatching Basel, once a regular scourge of English clubs, in both ties and dismissed Ludogorets emphatically at home. The Bulgarians had proved more problematic in Sofia, but from 2-0 down Arsenal rallied and leant on their natural talent to stamp authority on the tie and win 3-2. Mesut Özil, who was involved in seven goals either as provider or scorer, and Alexis Sánchez have been excellent. There are more options in midfield, where Granit Xhaka looks so assured, and offers more bite in attack. Theo Walcott, who scored twice against Basel at home, was required only for a cameo at St Jakob Park. Lucas Pérez scored with all three of his attempts there.

The concern is how even their best players will fare against elite opponents rather than sides as obliging as Ludogorets and Basel. The games against PSG, regular quarter-finalists and a team too strong for Chelsea in the past two seasons, provided some clues.

The French club, even now, will consider themselves contenders and Arsenal must learn quickly from their two meetings with PSG, when the Premier League side were more dogged than dominant. David Ospina’s display at Parc des Princes remains one of the highlights so far and there was plenty to admire in Arsenal’s rally at home to transform a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead.

Wenger knows the key will be to get prolonged influence from Sánchez and Özil, and security from Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi at the back. Without that quartet in prime form and fitness, and even with a greater depth in quality overall, his first-choice side are still probably shy of Europe’s best. A lot can change between now and March yet going into the draw on Monday, is there really that much to fear? Of the traditional threats, Bayern have laboured in the Champions League at times and are trailing the promoted Red Bull Leipzig in the Bundesliga. Even Barcelona, six points from the top of La Liga, are not necessarily the force they were.

“It would depend what kind of Barcelona you are up against,” Wenger said in the buildup to the game in Switzerland. “At the moment they don’t look to be unbeatable. Manchester City have already beaten them. But, as I said before, by March all the teams are sometimes in completely different shape.”

That sense of realism was maintained throughout the trip to Switzerland. Arsenal have done all that could be expected to date. The hope is their luck holds in the draw and beyond.