See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy OLIVER TODD, DIGITAL HEAD OF SPORT Published: 20:05 BST, 30 May 2026 | Updated: 20:19 BST, 30 May 2026
Arsenal fans are despairing after they fell victim to football's cruelest fate: defeat on penalties in the Champions League final.It is the Gunners' second heartbreak in European football's major final: The first came against Barcelona in a 2-1 defeat in 2006 before this loss at the hands of back-to-back winners Paris Saint-Germain.Kai Havertz opened the scoring inside the first five minutes of the final but PSG levelled with Ousmane Dembele's penalty on 64 minutes. The teams went to extra-time but neither could find a winner, meaning the dreaded decider for all English teams: penalties.Eberechi Eze missed Arsenal's second spot kick but Portuguese star Nuno Mendes then saw his kick saved by David Raya. Arsenal's players were otherwise near-perfect but when it came to centre back Gabriel for the fifth and final penalty, he blazed over the crossbar.More to follow. It was heartbreak for Arsenal fans in their Champions League final defeat in Budapest Arsenal fans in a pub despair in their Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain Arsenal fans react as they see their team lose the penalty shoot-out near to their stadium Tears flowed for Arsenal fans after Gabriel missed the crucial penalty in Budapest Gabriel missed - and then was engulfed by celebrating PSG players close to him David Raya was so close to being Arsenal's hero but his night ended in tears Fans gathered outside the Emirates Stadium were left upset by the dramatic ending London's beer gardens were packed as fans gathered around big screens at Boxpark Thousands travelled to Budapest without tickets and watched from fan parks and bars Havertz's goal came in the first six minutes of the match - some fans watched on giant TVs at the Emirates Stadium
