At a Glance:
French media on Gabriel Magalhaes after PSG beat Arsenal.
PSG won the Champions League final despite Arsenal defending brilliantly.
Gabriel was Arsenal’s best player.
It was a day to forget for Gabriel Magalhaes as he missed the decisive penalty against PSG to confirm Arsenal’s defeat in the Champions League final.
Declan Rice stuck up for Gabriel despite his miss from 12 yards out as he has had a phenomenal season for Mikel Arteta’s side.
However, big games are often defined by moments and unfortunately for the Brazilian defender, he could not come up clutch from the penalty spot.
Gabriel played a key role in Arsenal’s rock-solid defensive display against PSG and after the game, French media outlets had their say on his performance.
French media hail Gabriel Magalhaes despite penalty miss in PSG vs Arsenal
Foot Mercato gave Gabriel a match rating of 6.5/10, praising the 28-year-old for how stellar he was at the back for Arsenal against PSG.
“Starting in central defence, the 28-year-old Brazilian played the same first 45 minutes as his teammate in the same position. He stayed deep, waiting for the Parisians in his penalty area. His teamwork was noteworthy, particularly in the air where he headed the ball confidently.
“Under pressure after the equalizer, the defender continued his efforts but struggled during every period of pressure from his opponents. Solid and disciplined, he opted for a simple, error-free game. However, he gifted the Parisians the victory with a completely botched penalty.”
1 – Gabriel Magalhães is the first player to hit a penalty over the crossbar in a #UCLfinal penalty shootout since Milan's Serginho in 2005 (v Liverpool).
It was the first penalty the Brazilian had ever taken for Arsenal.
Unfortunate. pic.twitter.com/xh7AWbwHFM
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 30, 2026
Maxifoot raved about Arsenal colossus Gabriel’s performance against PSG as well, writing: His performance was excellent for a long time…the Arsenal centre-back truly shone in this final and for a long time embodied his team’s solidity. In his own penalty area, the Brazilian international was particularly impressive, making numerous defensive tackles against Kvaratskhelia and Doue.
“Omnipresent in clearing danger, the former Lille player was decisive…before missing his penalty and allowing PSG to clinch the title!”
Gabriel Magalhaes was Arsenal’s best player in the Champions League final
The French media will earn praise from Arsenal fans for recognising how well Gabriel played against PSG despite his poor penalty at the end of the clash.
Gabriel vs PSG Statistics
Dribbled past 0
Duels won 2/2
Headed clearances 6
Accurate passes 28/35
Passes into the final third 4
Defensive contributions 15
All statistics via FotMob
Gabriel was not dribbled past even once while winning two out of his two duels, making six headed clearances and 15 defensive contributions.
Playing four out of his 35 passes in the final third while completing 28 out of them in total, the former Lille centre-back was excellent in and out of possession, arguably emerging as Arsenal’s best performer.
Srinivas Sadhanand
Srinivas Sadhanand is a writer for Read Arsenal and Read Man City, with over eight years of experience as a sports journalist. He has worked for established companies such as GRV Media, The Economic Times, Urban Pitch and Sportskeeda among several others. From interview athletes to writing detailed tactical pieces and covering the impact streetwear and music in football, he has many strings to his bow as a journalist. Being a lifelong Manchester City fan, he specialises in writing about them and the Premier League in particular. Away from the desk, he loves watching European football, cricket, films, listening to music and exploring new foods.
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