Paris Saint-Germain beat Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a dramatic Champions League final ended 1-1 in Budapest.
Gabriel Magalhaes blazed the crucial penalty over the bar to allow holders PSG to retain their title, after Eberechi Eze had put his spot-kick wide earlier in the shootout, only for David Raya to save from Nuno Mendes to bring it back level.
Kai Havertz had given the Gunners a dream start to their first Champions League final for 20 years when he smashed home after six minutes but Ousmane Dembele equalised from the spot after Cristhian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia midway through the second half.
Arsenal felt they should have had a penalty in extra time when Noni Madueke was bundled over by Mendes but the referee waved play on and the Londoners went on to have their hearts broken in the cruellest way possible.
Odegaard: Remember the good stuff as well
“Everyone is really disappointed. When you are that close to winning, it is really tough to take,” the Arsenal captain says.
“At the same time we know what we have done this season and we’ve achieved something incredible and we were so close to doing even better today.
“So we have to see the bigger picture and remember all the good stuff as well.”
‘We deserved that,’ says Enrique
“I’m mixed,” the PSG head coach, now a three-time European champion, says. “Excitement, fatigue, everything but this is the best moment of the season. We are still champions, two in a row, it’s amazing.
“We deserved that. Our supporters, during the whole season. We deserve to be in the final.
“It was very tough and difficult. Congratulations to Arsenal, it was very tough. They played great. It’s normal. They try to take the match into phases they are strong. We tried to control the ball and press. We have won the title.”
Rice on Madueke penalty shout
“I’ve not seen it back yet, but at the time on the pitch I thought Noni was ahead of him. Looking back at the one we got against Bayer Leverkusen, it was very similar.
“I’m not going get into it now. At the time I was devastated.”
Enrique’s records
According to Uefa, Luis Enrique is the first Spanish coach to win consecutive European Cups since Jose Villalonga, who achieved the feat with Real Madrid in 1955/56 and 1956/57.
Doue eyes more glory
“We have to stay humble and we will work again, we want more, we are a young, hungry team. We will go again.”
‘The ultimate in set-pieces’
Miguel Delaney was at Puskas Arena for his 18th consecutive Champions League final.
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Zabarnyi’s tribute
I am a proud Ukrainian, for us, we are strong people, we are free people, we will always be free. We fight for freedom, Ukraine never gives up. Our people are strong. we are much more than everyone.
Arteta’s initial reaction
“Yes, it is very tough to accept when you are so consistent in the competition all the way to the final and in the end you lose the trophy on penalty kicks, so it is a difficult one.,” the Arsenal manager tells TNT.
Should Madueke have earned a penalty? “It could easily be a penalty. Especially we see the penalty they gave me this year in the competition. This season, the referee made a decision, and he made a different one with Cristhian Mosquera and that is an important one.”
‘We’ll be back,’ says Rice
“We win together and we lose together. I’m so proud of these boys. What a season. It’s been incredible. I can’t speak highly enough of everyone. I’m obviously gutted but I’m trying to look with a bit of perspective. We’ll be back.”
Rice: ‘Devastating to lose’
“It’s devastating to lose a Champions League final on penalties. We tried to take a lot of perspective in how far we’ve come as a group. An incredible season. Our 63rd game in all competitions. We’ve given it absolutely everything.
“We took the game to penalties. It’s a lottery. That’s football, you can either win on pens or lose. Some of the best teams in the world have lost on pens. We’re on the receiving end of that tonight.”
