Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris St-Germain will forever be defined by Gabriel standing with his head in his hands, consoled by PSG captain and Brazil team-mate Marquinhos.
It was a cruel conclusion to the defender’s first European final, with his penalty blasted over the crossbar proving decisive in the shootout.
The miss ended Arsenal’s hopes of a rare Premier League and Champions League double, a feat achieved only by Manchester United and Manchester City since 1992.
It was the first penalty Gabriel had taken for Arsenal, with manager Mikel Arteta revealing the defender had “prepared and trained for this moment.”
“He wanted to take it,” Arteta said. “Normally the penalty takers would be Bukayo [Saka], Martin [Odegaard] and Kai [Havertz]. But we knew if the game went to extra-time and penalties, different players would have to step forward.”
Arsenal had begun the night in Budapest brilliantly, with Kai Havertz smashing the ball into the roof of the net inside six minutes at the Puskas Arena.
Gabriel was central to Arsenal’s defensive performance, making more clearances than any other player on the pitch with 13 throughout the contest.
After Ousmane Dembele equalised from the spot, neither side could find a winner, and the match drifted into a shootout with both keepers rarely tested.
Eberechi Eze missed first for Arsenal before David Raya saved Nuno Mendes’ effort, only for Gabriel’s penalty to fly over the crossbar and hand PSG the advantage they needed.
“To miss a penalty in a Champions League final, obviously it’s not nice,” Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said on TNT Sports.
“But we love them and we’re with them. It happens in football. They’re not going to be the last players to miss penalties in finals.”
Rice was emphatic in his defence of both Gabriel and Eze, crediting them as essential figures in Arsenal’s Premier League title triumph this season.
“Gabriel, I’ve run out of words for him as a person and as a player. Eze has scored some crucial goals for us this season.”
“It happens. It’s football and it’s cruel. We take the positives and keep going.”
Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha paid tribute to Gabriel’s contribution, noting he had started 48 of Arsenal’s 63 matches and contributed nine goals and assists across all competitions.
“So for him to be the one who misses the penalty that costs them the Champions League final is heartbreaking,” Onuoha told BBC Sport.
“But I think everyone will rally around him because Arsenal would not have won the Premier League without him. He has been invaluable and, quite rightly, is in the conversation for PFA Player of the Year.”
“The pressure is always there in a shootout. You can practice penalties in training, but in a Champions League final you can never truly prepare for that moment. Unfortunately, he has experienced what every player dreads – missing the penalty that decides a final.”
Former Arsenal defender Matt Upson described it as “one of those John Terry moments”, referencing the 2008 Champions League final shootout slip that cost Chelsea the trophy.
“Gabriel gave everything for his team. He showed the mentality and courage to step forward and take responsibility, which is all you can ask of any player.”
“It is desperately sad for him, but he strikes me as someone who will recover quickly and use it as motivation. He still has a huge summer ahead with Brazil.”
