PSG star speaks out after tough Champions League final loss to Arsenal
A Paris Saint-Germain star didn’t hold back after Arsenal’s tough penalty shootout loss in the Champions League final.
When Kai Havertz scored early to put Arsenal ahead, Gunners fans probably felt this was their moment to win Europe’s top club prize. But it wasn’t meant to be, as Luis Enrique’s PSG became just the second club after Real Madrid to defend the trophy successfully.
Arsenal’s defense looked strong for most of the game, but PSG found a chance in the second half when Cristhian Mosquera was called for a foul on Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, leading to a penalty. Ousmane Dembélé calmly scored from the spot to level the game.
PSG controlled most of the second half and extra time, but neither team scored, sending the match to penalties. Eberechi Eze missed the first Arsenal penalty, and then Nuno Mendes had his shot saved by David Raya. Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli scored for Arsenal, but when PSG’s Lucas Beraldo made his fifth kick, Gabriel Magalhães had to score to keep Arsenal alive. Unfortunately, Gabriel missed badly, giving PSG their second European crown.
Gabriel was clearly upset after his miss and was comforted by PSG defender and Brazil teammate Marquinhos. But another PSG player, João Neves, was less kind when talking about Arsenal’s cautious playing style. Neves, a key PSG player since joining from Benfica in 2024, expressed how much he loved playing in Paris and was proud of the team’s effort.
“We deserved this today because PSG was the only team that really wanted to play,” he said. “I’m so happy for the group and what we achieved this season. It wasn’t easy to defend our title, but in a final, you have to forget fatigue and give everything.”
PSG coach Luis Enrique agreed, saying, “We deserved this win. It was tough, but we earned it. Congratulations to Arsenal—they played really well and tried to use their strengths. We focused on controlling the ball and pressing, and in the end, we won the title.”