Gabriel Magalhaes
Gabriel Magalhaes
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Penalty shootouts in major finals leave little room for second chances. One miss can decide the outcome after 120 minutes of even contest, and the player who takes the decisive kick carries that moment for the rest of the season. Confidence after such an experience is rarely automatic.
Leadership groups within a squad often include those willing to step forward when the regular takers are no longer on the pitch. The decision to volunteer can be made in training long before the final whistle, yet the result still depends on the execution under the highest pressure. Teammates and supporters then play a role in how quickly the individual moves past the miss.
European nights against former clubs add another layer of focus for the players involved. The preparation for those fixtures continues regardless of previous setbacks, and public comments about past moments can reveal how a player views his own responsibility. Those statements usually arrive in the days before the next competitive match.
Gabriel Magalhaes has insisted he would step up from the spot again, despite missing the decisive penalty for Arsenal in the Champions League final. The Brazilian blazed the fifth kick over the bar at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, handing Paris Saint-Germain a 4-3 shootout victory.
Arsenal had taken a sixth-minute lead through Kai Havertz before Ousmane Dembélé equalised from the spot after Cristhian Mosquera fouled Kvicha Kvaratskhelia. Neither side scored in the remaining 120 minutes. Eberechi Eze had already missed his penalty when Gabriel’s effort sailed into the stands.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League match against Lille, Gabriel said: “I think in the final, anything can happen. I think we did really well. If I have another penalty, I am going to be there to take it. I think my teammates helped me a lot after this.”
Gabriel Magalhaes says if Arsenal have another penalty shootout in the UEFA Champions League this season, he will step up to take a penalty again. https://t.co/o2vhETMRqX
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) October 12, 2026
He added: “Of course I was sad, of course I don’t want to mis a penalty. I have learnt from this, if I have another opportunity I will take it.” The miss was the first penalty Gabriel had taken in his Arsenal career, with usual takers Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz all substituted by the end of extra-time.
Mikel Arteta confirmed after the final that Gabriel had nominated himself to take the decisive kick as a member of the leadership group and had prepared for the moment in training. PSG captain Marquinhos immediately embraced his compatriot and told him to stay strong and hold his head high.
Declan Rice defended both Gabriel and Eze afterwards, telling supporters that without those two Arsenal would not have won the Premier League. Shirt sales for Gabriel rose by 350 per cent in the days after the final, according to The Athletic, and his name became the club’s top seller.
Only four Arsenal players started more games than Gabriel across all competitions last season. He scored four goals and registered five assists in 51 appearances. The Brazilian now prepares to face his former club Lille at the Emirates, six years after joining Arsenal in a £27 million move in September 2020.
The comments show that the final has not removed Gabriel’s willingness to take responsibility from the spot. Arsenal’s European campaign continues without the trophy, yet the defender’s stance indicates he remains ready if the situation arises again. The Lille match provides the next opportunity for the squad to build on last season’s progress.