Mikel Arteta shares why Gabriel took his very first penalty for Arsenal in the shootout against PSG.
Arsenal’s head coach, Mikel Arteta, shared why centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes took the Gunners’ fifth penalty in the Champions League final shootout against Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal was ahead for most of the game after Kai Havertz scored early. But in the end, the 2025/26 Premier League champions lost a tough penalty shootout to PSG in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30.
The English team defended well for much of the match until Cristhian Mosquera fouled Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the penalty area. PSG got a penalty, and 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele scored confidently.
After a cautious second half and 30 minutes of extra time, the game went to penalties. Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze was the first to miss, though goalkeeper David Raya saved a penalty from PSG’s Nuno Mendes, which helped a bit.
Declan Rice scored Arsenal’s third penalty, and both teams scored their fourth. Then came the crucial moments: PSG’s Lucas Beraldo scored to make it 4-3, so Gabriel had to take the next shot.
Gabriel had never taken a penalty for Arsenal before, and unfortunately, he shot over the bar. This gave PSG their second Champions League title in two seasons, while Arsenal’s wait for the trophy continues.
Other players like forward Noni Madueke and midfielder Martin Zubimendi were still on the pitch, but Arteta explained that Gabriel had “prepared and trained for this moment.”
“He wanted to take it,” Arteta said after the game. “Usually, the penalty takers are Bukayo [Saka], Martin [Odegaard], and Kai [Havertz]. But we knew that if the match went to extra time and penalties, different players would need to step up.”
Meanwhile, Gabriel’s teammate Declan Rice, who scored his penalty, showed support for his teammates when talking to TNT Sports after the match.
“Missing a penalty in a Champions League final is tough,” he said. “But we love them and stand by them. It happens in football. They won’t be the last to miss penalties in finals. Everyone misses sometimes.”
“Without Gabriel and Eze this season, we wouldn’t have won the Premier League, that’s for sure. I can’t say enough about Gabriel as a person and player. Eze has also scored important goals for us.”
“Football can be cruel, but we take the positives and keep moving forward.”