News Focus
- Arsenal lose Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties
- Gabriel Magalhães misses decisive spot-kick in shootout
- Brazilian defender consoled by international team-mate Marquinhos after final whistle
- Gunners suffer European heartbreak despite earlier Premier League triumph
- Manager Mikel Arteta reveals defender specifically prepared for penalty duty
Gabriel Magalhães stood still on the Budapest pitch with his face in his hands. The Arsenal centre-back had just kicked the ball over the crossbar during the penalty shootout. This mistake gave Paris Saint-Germain their second Champions League title in a row.
The Brazilian defender watched as the PSG players celebrated their victory. Marquinhos, the Paris captain and Gabriel’s team-mate for Brazil, ran to comfort the very upset Gunner. The scenes at the Puskas Arena showed both joy and sadness.
Earlier, Arsenal had hoped to win when Kai Havertz scored inside six minutes. The German striker hit the ball hard past Matvey Safonov, making the Arsenal fans very happy. However, Ousmane Dembele scored from the penalty spot later in the match. This sent the game to a tense shootout.
During the final, Gabriel played excellently in the Arsenal defence. He cleared the ball thirteen times, more than any other player. He stopped the danger from PSG’s attacking players. This matched his great season, where he played forty-eight matches and helped win the Premier League trophy.
The shootout started badly for Arsenal when Eberechi Eze kicked his penalty wide. Goalkeeper David Raya then saved Nuno Mendes’ shot, keeping Arsenal in the match. But after four successful penalties, Gabriel had to take his turn. It was his first penalty for the club. He could not control his shot and sent the ball over the bar.
Mikel Arteta said later that his player had prepared for this moment. “He wanted to take it,” the manager said. He confirmed Gabriel had practised hard for such situations.
Declan Rice defended his team-mate after the match. “I have no words left to describe Gabriel,” the midfielder said. “He is an amazing person and player. Without him, we would not have won the Premier League this season.”
Former Arsenal defender Matt Upson compared the moment to John Terry’s famous slip in the 2008 final against Manchester United. Meanwhile, Nedum Onuoha said that penalty shootouts create too much pressure that training cannot prepare you for.
Despite this sad ending, Gabriel remains important to Arteta’s plans. The 26-year-old has been key to Arsenal’s return to the top in England. He will now focus on playing for Brazil.