Lineker defends Eze and Gabriel after penalty misses sink Arsenal in Champions League final

Arsenal lost the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Budapest on Saturday, with Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes both missing from the spot as PSG won the shootout 4-3 after a 1-1 draw following extra time.

Eze drew criticism for a stuttering run-up before firing wide, while Gabriel blazed Arsenal’s fifth kick over the bar. Viktor Gyokeres, Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli were the three Gunners to convert, and goalkeeper David Raya produced a fine save to deny Nuno Mendes. It was not enough.

Gary Lineker, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, was quick to defend both players. “Someone’s always got to miss,” he said. “I will say, as I always say — give them credit for being prepared to put themselves on the line under severe pressure. I see Eberechi Eze has got a bit of stick because of his stuttering run-up and he’s missed a couple before like that. But I will also say that if he’d have scored, nobody would have uttered a word.”

Lineker also raised questions about Arsenal’s planning, noting that key penalty takers were absent. “Some of the penalty takers Arsenal would probably want to take them — I can think immediately of Saka — were not on the pitch, so was Gabriel originally planned to be number five? Possibly not. Again, if he’d have scored, no-one would have… it’s so easy after the event.”

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards offered a more critical assessment of Gabriel’s effort. “When Gabriel stepped up… I don’t want to say he looked nervous because you can probably say that about every player that stepped up. But I was wondering what technique he was going to use,” Richards said. “When he was running up and taking it, he didn’t look confident. It was almost like he just wanted to get it over and done with.”

Richards also suggested that Noni Madueke should have been among the takers. Madueke was one of five outfield Arsenal players available who did not take a penalty, alongside Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Piero Hincapie.

The defeat ends Arsenal’s wait for a first Champions League title and denies Mikel Arteta’s side what would have been the club’s most significant trophy in decades.