Arsenal fans in despair and players in tears as they lose Champions League final on
Arsenal fans are despairing after they fell victim to football’s cruelest fate: defeat on penalties in the Champions League final.
It is the Gunners’ second heartbreak in European football’s major final: The first came against Barcelona in a 2-1 defeat in 2006 before this loss at the hands of back-to-back winners Paris Saint-Germain.
Kai Havertz opened the scoring inside the first five minutes of the final but PSG levelled with Ousmane Dembele‘s penalty on 64 minutes. The teams went to extra-time but neither could find a winner, meaning the dreaded decider for all English teams: penalties.
Eberechi Eze missed Arsenal’s second spot kick but Portuguese star Nuno Mendes then saw his kick saved by David Raya. Arsenal’s players were otherwise near-perfect but when it came to centre back Gabriel for the fifth and final penalty, he blazed over the crossbar.
More to follow.
It was heartbreak for Arsenal fans in their Champions League final defeat in Budapest
Arsenal fans in a pub despair in their Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain
Arsenal fans react as they see their team lose the penalty shoot-out near to their stadium
The Arsenal players had to watch their PSG rivals walk up to collect the trophy in Budapest
Tears flowed for Arsenal fans after Gabriel missed the crucial penalty in Budapest
Gabriel missed – and then was engulfed by celebrating PSG players close to him
David Raya was so close to being Arsenal’s hero but his night ended in tears
Fans gathered outside the Emirates Stadium were left upset by the dramatic ending
London’s beer gardens were packed as fans gathered around big screens at Boxpark
Thousands travelled to Budapest without tickets and watched from fan parks and bars
Havertz’s goal came in the first six minutes of the match – some fans watched on giant TVs at the Emirates Stadium