Explained: Why Gabriel Magalhaes took a penalty for Arsenal in Champions League final shootout as Mikel Arteta reacts to devastating miss from Brazilian defender

In the aftermath of the 4-3 loss at the Puskas Arena, questions were raised regarding the selection of Gabriel as the final penalty taker. The Brazilian defender stepped up for the fifth kick but saw his effort fly over the bar, handing the trophy to the French giants. Arteta revealed that the defender volunteered for the high-pressure moment as the Gunners' usual specialists were no longer on the pitch.

Speaking to the media after the game, Arteta said: "He (Gabriel) wanted to take number five honestly. We have prepared and trained for this moment. Normally the penalty takers would be Bukayo [Saka], Martin [Odegaard], Kai [Havertz] for sure. We knew that if we got extra time on penalties, the penalty takers would be different players, still with the quality when you see Ebz [Eberechi Eze] take penalties in training, he doesn't miss any, but then you have to do in this moment. It's unfortunate not to have the same precision and efficiency that they had and that's the reason that we haven't won."

While the atmosphere in the dressing room was one of dejection, Declan Rice was quick to jump to the defence of his teammates. Both Gabriel and Eze failed to convert from twelve yards, but the England international insisted that the pair should not be scapegoated for the result.

"Devastated. Missing a penalty in a Champions League final isn't nice. But we love them. Look, that happens in football. They aren't going to be the last players to miss a penalty in finals. Everyone has missed a penalty. Without them two this season, we wouldn't have won the Premier League. It's cruel, but we take the positives," Rice said.

While the shootout took the headlines, Arteta was also vocal about decisions made during the match, particularly a late challenge on Noni Madueke that went unpunished. However, he declined to speculate on whether a different call might have changed the game's outcome. "If, if, if - it’s not what happened and that's it," Arteta stated firmly. "We need to do better, we will have to improve and find different margins to get the outcome that we want." Despite the loss, the manager enters the summer with a Premier League title in the bag, ending a 22-year drought for the Gunners and cementing the team's status as a genuine powerhouse under his leadership.

The defeat in Budapest will not stop the planned celebrations in London, as the club prepares to celebrate their league triumph with the fans. Arteta expressed his gratitude for the unwavering support the team has received throughout a grueling campaign. While the Champions League trophy would have been the ultimate prize, the manager believes the connection between the players and the supporters is stronger than ever.

"To the people, I already know how the team feels about them. We are very grateful for the support they have given us throughout the season, in times of difficulty, as they have been with us, and it has been a real joy to win a league after 22 years. It hurts, it hurts a lot for them not to win, because I can't even imagine what would have happened. We all had a huge desire to win it and tomorrow will be a beautiful day for sure," Arteta concluded.