Gerrard and Hargreaves Condemn Eberechi Eze’s Penalty Miss as Arsenal Lose Champions League Final to PSG

Paris Saint-Germain successfully defended their UEFA Champions League title after defeating Arsenal in a penalty shootout in Budapest, becoming back-to-back European champions and ending the Premier League leaders’ hopes of a historic first continental crown.

The final ended 1-1 after extra time. Kai Havertz had given Arsenal the lead with a brilliant first-half strike, but Ousmane Dembélé levelled from the penalty spot in the second half. Neither side could find a winner in the additional 30 minutes, leaving the tie to be settled from 12 yards.

Arsenal’s shootout unravelled through two costly misses. Eberechi Eze, who employed a stuttered run-up, sent his effort wide of the goal. Gabriel Magalhães then struck his penalty over the bar, handing PSG the victory and the trophy.

Speaking on TNT Sports following the final, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard was unsparing in his assessment of Eze’s approach. “Penalties are hard enough,” Gerrard said. “Think about the magnitude of the game, the stadium, the atmosphere. It’s hard enough without any of that nonsense. Put your foot through it, back your technique.”

Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves echoed that view, expressing reservations about the technique Eze employed. “I’ve never been a big fan of that run-up. I think it puts you under pressure. I prefer players to pick their corner and smash it in,” Hargreaves said on TNT Sports. “That one, if you stutter, you can put a bit of doubt in your own mind if the goalkeeper doesn’t move.”

The defeat represents a significant blow for Arsenal, who had navigated the Champions League campaign as Premier League frontrunners and arrived at the final as one of the competition’s most consistent performers. The club has never won the UEFA Champions League in its history, and this final marked one of its most realistic opportunities to do so.

PSG’s triumph cements their status as the dominant force in European club football at present, having now secured consecutive Champions League titles. The Paris club’s victory also continues a difficult pattern for English clubs in major European finals decided by shootouts, where mental composure and penalty technique have repeatedly come under scrutiny.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was reportedly frustrated after the match, with sources suggesting he felt his side had been denied a penalty during the course of the game. The debate over officiating decisions and the fine margins that separated the two sides in Budapest are likely to fuel discussion throughout the summer.

Eze, who has been one of Arsenal’s standout performers during their Premier League campaign, will now face a period of intense scrutiny over his penalty technique. Whether the club or coaching staff choose to address his approach ahead of future shootout situations remains to be seen. For now, it is PSG who celebrate, and Arsenal who are left to reflect on what might have been.