Arsenal Gagal Juara Liga Champions Setelah Kalah Penalti dari PSG

Impian Arsenal untuk merengkuh trofi Liga Champions pertama mereka kandas di Puskas Arena, Budapest, setelah takluk 3-4 dalam babak adu penalti melawan Paris Saint-Germain pada Sabtu (30/5/2026).

Pertandingan final yang berjalan sengit tersebut harus berlanjut ke babak tos-tosan setelah kedua tim bermain imbang 1-1 selama 120 menit. Kegagalan eksekusi penalti dari Eberechi Eze dan Gabriel Magalhaes memastikan kemenangan klub raksasa Prancis tersebut.

Laga sejatinya berjalan sangat baik bagi anak asuh Mikel Arteta ketika Kai Havertz mencetak gol cepat pada menit kelima. Havertz menusuk dari sisi kiri dan melepaskan tembakan keras ke langit-langit gawang PSG.

Lewat gol tersebut, Havertz menyamai rekor Cristiano Ronaldo dan Mario Mandzukic sebagai pemain yang mampu mencetak gol di final Liga Champions untuk dua klub berbeda. Sebelumnya, penyerang Jerman ini mencetak gol kemenangan Chelsea pada final 2021.

Sebelum pertandingan dimulai, pelatih Paris Saint-Germain, Luis Enrique, sempat memberikan pujian bagi performa impresif Arsenal sepanjang musim ini.

"No, I am not surprised, especially with what they have done this year. They are absolutely worthy of winning the Premier League. They were the best team and the most consistent. It was not always easy with Manchester City on their tails, but they deserved the title. Arteta has been there for six and a half years so he knows the team inside out." kata Luis Enrique, Pelatih Paris Saint-Germain.

Kekalahan dramatis ini mematahkan rekor historis, di mana 11 tim sebelumnya yang mencetak gol pembuka di final Liga Champions selalu keluar sebagai juara sejak tahun 2014.

Gelandang Arsenal, Declan Rice, langsung pasang badan untuk membela dua rekannya yang gagal mengeksekusi penalti dalam laga puncak tersebut.

"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," ujar Declan Rice, Gelandang Arsenal.

Pertandingan ini merupakan laga ke-63 bagi Arsenal di semua kompetisi musim ini setelah mereka menyudahi puasa gelar Liga Inggris selama 22 tahun.

"It's devastating to lose a Champions League final on penalties," cetus Declan Rice, Gelandang Arsenal.

"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. 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." lanjut Declan Rice, Gelandang Arsenal.

Rice menambahkan bahwa manajer Mikel Arteta tetap memberikan pesan penuh motivasi dan rasa bangga kepada seluruh skuad di ruang ganti.

"The emotions and the stakes are so high. It's cruel. [Arteta] spoke about how much he loves us as a the group. How we've given 100 per cent every single game with everything that's been thrown at us," tutur Declan Rice, Gelandang Arsenal.

Klub London Utara tersebut tercatat menunjukkan grafik performa yang terus meningkat di bawah asuhan Arteta dalam beberapa musim terakhir.

"This is only the start for us. We got over the line in the Premier League, this would've been one step further but it wasn't to be. We keep building. Since I came to the club it was a quarter-final exit, then semi-final and now final. We keep going and keep staying positive. This isn't going to define us." pungkas Declan Rice, Gelandang Arsenal.

Dilansir dari Goal.com, keberhasilan ini membuat PSG menjadi tim modern kedua setelah Real Madrid yang mampu mempertahankan gelar juara Liga Champions sejak format baru diperkenalkan pada tahun 1992.