From a neutral perspective, Arsenal scoring first - and so early - was the worst possible thing to happen to the final. It meant we were subjected to what amounted to a tense and yet simultaneously tedious training-ground exercise of 'attack versus defence'. But then again, it was probably always going to play out like that, with PSG patiently probing for an opening against the best-drilled backline in Europe.
As Rice admitted afterwards, Arsenal never had any intention of going toe-to-toe with Luis Enrique's men. "If we'd gone out and played like that... That's what they want. That's how they score five and six against opponents."
It has to be said, though, that Arsenal would have played anti-football no matter the opposition. It's what they do, making them a tough watch even at the best of times. Their games are endured rather than enjoyed, so it wasn't remotely surprising to see them pull out all the stops to frustrate and disrupt PSG, including Raya requiring treatment in injury time before making his usual miraculous recovery.
However, there really isn't any legitimate excuse for Arsenal's approach. We're talking about arguably the strongest squad in Europe, one assembled at a cost of more than £1 billion, and this was the best they could come up with in a Champions League final. From the sixth minute on, they played like a non-league team trying to pull off a 'cupset', and it would have been a sporting travesty if it had paid off.
Indeed, the moment that really summed Arsenal up was when they wasted the opportunity to double their lead from a corner right at the end of the first half because they wasted too much time before taking it.
There will, of course, be plenty of sympathy for Arsenal being beaten on penalties after going through the entire tournament undefeated - and that's fine. But us purists are just as entitled to be relieved that the trophy went to the team that wanted to play football in the final as opposed to the one that tried to strangle the life out of it.