Arsenal Season Review: Gabriel Proud Despite Painful Shoot-out Loss To PSG In Champions League Final

Arsenal’s wait for a first European crown continued after a dramatic Champions League final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, decided on penalties after a 1-1 draw across 120 minutes. Gabriel Magalhaes missed the decisive spot-kick in the shoot-out, describing the moment as painful while stressing pride in Arsenal’s overall campaign as Premier League champions.

The shoot-out swung several times as Eberechi Eze and Nuno Mendes both failed from the spot, before Gabriel sent his must-score penalty over the bar. That mistake confirmed PSG’s second straight Champions League title and left Arsenal still chasing a first European Cup after 226 games in the competition’s history.

Gabriel’s miss carried an unwanted historical note. The defender became the first player to fire a penalty over the crossbar in a Champions League final shoot-out since Serginho did so for AC Milan against Liverpool in 2005. Arsenal also became the only club to send two penalties off target in a final shoot-out.

Eze’s earlier effort had slid wide to the left of the goal, increasing the pressure on Gabriel in the sudden-death situation. Despite the outcome, Arsenal supporters gathered in large numbers on 26 May for a title parade through north London, honouring the club’s league triumph and deep European run.

Ahead of the parade, Gabriel posted a long message on Instagram, addressing both the miss and the backing from fans. Gabriel wrote: "It’s painful, but I’m proud of this team and everything we achieved together this season. Thank you to our incredible fans for your support every step of the way. You deserve to celebrate this journey with us and enjoy the parade today! See you next season!"

Gabriel’s comments reflected a wider feeling within the squad that the campaign still marked progress, despite the Champions League final disappointment against PSG. Arsenal’s domestic success helped soften the blow of defeat in Europe, even as the club’s European Cup record without a trophy grew longer.

Arsenal Champions League final performance and PSG dominance in possession

Match data highlighted how Arsenal spent long spells without the ball in the Champions League final against PSG. Arsenal registered only 24.7% possession, the lowest share recorded by any side in a Champions League final since Opta began detailed tracking in 2003-04, and the lowest for any Arsenal team under Mikel Arteta with 11 players on the pitch.

Arsenal’s attacking output reflected that lack of control. Across 120 minutes, Arsenal produced only seven attempts, and just one was on target. That lone accurate effort, from Kai Havertz in the sixth minute, gave Arsenal an early advantage before PSG equalised and later took control of the ball and territory.

Arsenal Champions League final passing numbers compared with PSG

The passing figures underlined PSG’s superiority. PSG completed 809 passes compared with Arsenal’s 196. Vitinha alone made 141 successful passes, almost matching the combined total of Arsenal’s 10 outfield starters, who completed 148. Declan Rice led Arsenal with 31 completed passes, yet nine PSG outfield players bettered that number, with only Ousmane Dembele, on 27, falling short.

Although the Champions League final brought statistical challenges and a painful shoot-out defeat to PSG, Arsenal still closed the season with a Premier League title and clear improvement in high-level competition. The squad, led by Mikel Arteta, now heads into the next campaign seeking to build on this progress and address the gaps exposed in Europe.