Heartbreak for Arsenal as PSG crowned Champions League winners after tense penalty shootout
Arsenal’s dreams of winning on Europe’s biggest stage for the first time in their 140-year history ended in agony following a 4-3 shoot-out defeat to Paris St Germain.
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Arsenal's Gabriel missed his sides fifth goal of the shootout by hitting it over the bar during the UEFA Champions League Final at Puskas Arena, Budapest, marking a devastating defeat for the gunners.
It meant PSG were crowned champions for a second year running.
Kai Havertz fired Arsenal ahead in the sixth minute before Ousmane Dembele equalised from the spot when Cristhian Mosquera upended Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the second half.
Arsenal hung on to force extra time, and might have had a penalty of their own when Noni Madueke was bundled over by Nuno Mendes.
However, referee Daniel Siebert waved away Arsenal’s appeals and VAR took no action. Arteta and Declan Rice were both booked for protesting in the aftermath.
When Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked to explain his emotions, he said: “Pain.
“It is very tough to accept when you are so consistent all the way to the final and in the end you lose the trophy on penalties.”
Read more: Arsenal complete Premier League-winning campaign with victory at Crystal Palace
Reflecting on the decision not to award his side a spot-kick in the closing moments of the first half of extra time, he added: “I watched all the penalties in the competition in the last 72 hours to understand what a penalty is and what is not, and that easily can be a penalty.
“But it is if, if, if. It is not what happened. We need to do better, we have to improve and find different margins to get the outcome that we want.”
Gabriel, arguably Arsenal’s best player on the night after he put his body on the line to keep PSG at bay across 120 minutes, responded by lifting his shirt over his face as his team-mates attempted to console the agonised defender.
Arsenal had been in dreamland after just 302 seconds when Havertz vindicated Mikel Arteta’s decision to pick him ahead of marquee summer signing Viktor Gyokeres.
There was more than a hint of fortune in the way the ball broke for Havertz after Marquinhos’ attempted clearance smashed into Leandro Trossard’s left shoulder.
But there was nothing lucky about Havertz’s masterful finish. Havertz, who has form on the big stage, having fired Chelsea to Champions League glory against Manchester City five years and one day ago, took three decisive touches with his left foot before unleashing his fourth into the roof of the net.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was an immovable force across Arsenal’s defeat to PSG in the semi-finals last season, and there will be question marks over his replacement, Matvey Safonov here. The Russian goalkeeper remained rooted to his spot as Havertz’s thunderbolt flew past him in a flash.
But Arsenal had lift-off, and history was on their side, or so they thought. The previous 11 teams to take the lead in the final had gone on to lift the trophy.
After Havertz’s opener – and little did the Gunners know at that stage that it would be their only shot on target – it became a game of attack versus defence.
Arsenal were struggling to string more than a handful of passes together, and the 17,000 fans behind Raya’s goal cheered every clearance.
Fabian Ruiz headed over when he might have tested Raya, but it took PSG until first-half stoppage time to force the Spaniard into meaningful action when he saved Ruiz’s half-volley.
Havertz might have had a second at the close of the first half, but a poor first touch allowed Marquinhos to divert his shot away from danger.
PSG’s dominance carried over into the second half, and Arsenal’s resistance finally collapsed as the game passed the hour mark.
Makeshift right-back Cristhian Mosquera got caught on the wrong side of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and after going through the back of PSG’s brilliant winger, German referee Daniel Siebert did not hesitate in pointing to the spot. Dembele made no mistake 12 yards, and Mosquera escaped a second caution.
The momentum was firmly with PSG, and they came within inches of taking the lead after 77 minutes. William Saliba misjudged a long ball over the top and Kvaratskhelia had Raya’s goal in sight before Myles Lewis-Skelly wonderfully intervened to send the Georgian’s strike on to Raya’s post.
It felt as though history could be repeating for the Gunners – who led on their sole visit to the Champions League final in 2006 only to see Barcelona strike two late goals.
Arsene Wenger, the man who took them there, watched on pensively from the stands.
Wenger’s side were unable to take the final to extra time. Here, they did – just.
Raya beat substitute Bradley Barcola to the ball in a foot race and with a minute to go, Vitinha’s curling effort rippled the top of the goalkeeper’s net.
Then, in the seventh of six added minutes, Barcola wasted a golden opportunity when he rifled his breakaway effort into Raya’s side-netting.
On to extra time and in the closing stages of the first half, Arsenal felt they deserved a penalty.
Noni Madueke tangled legs with Mendes, but Siebert waved away their appeals, and Declan Rice and Arteta – furious with the verdict – were both booked for protesting.
In the shoot-out, Eze missed Arsenal’s second from the spot before Raya saved and Rice scored. But Gabriel sent his penalty into the stands and Arsenal’s wait for European glory goes on.