Arsenal made to suffer penalty agony as Europe's biggest prize slips from their grasp

Pre kick off at the Puskas Arena ; Picture by @YTJourno

Champions League Final

Arsenal (1) 1 Havertz 6

Paris Saint-Germain (0) 1 Dembele pen 65

After Extra Time PSG win 4-3 on pens

Oh the torment.

Undefeated for an entire season of Champions League football, only to have the kick in the teeth of having a penalty decider at the 'away end' with the added pressure of taking the second kick.

That seldom ends well and so it proved as Ebe Eze and Gabriel fired wide to kill off hopes of a first ever Champions League success. David Raya did save one of the PSG kicks from Nuno Mendes, but it was not enough.

The same thing happened to them against Galatasaray in that Uefa Cup final under Arsene Wenger, when they also lost out on choice of ends for the penalty shootout. These details usually make the difference.

In the end it proved to be a nightmare repeat of the 2006 final when they were pegged back after leading at the interval.

This time they did not have their keeper sent off after just 18 minutes like last time, but the outcome was the same.

It was a colossal defensive effort that subdued the champions for an hour - finally yielding when Cristhian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia an hour after Kai Havertz had stunned PSG by giving the Gunners a sixth minute lead.

The equaliser from Ousmane Dembele was logical given the Parisians monopolised the ball - enjoying 75 per cent possession.

But Arsenal refused to fold after conceding and dragged the game into extra time before finishing the stronger of the two sides.

Jurrien Timber and Viktor Gyokeres both came close to a glorious winning moment.

That they came so near will be of little consolation but PSG worked just as prodigiously as Arsenal out of possession - quickly closing off all passing avenues.

In retaining their crown, they could not repeat the flourishing style of last season's 5-0 evisceration of Inter in Munich but they found a way past the most stubborn defence in Europe.

Gabriel, magnificent all season, did not deserve to be the fall guy at the end but it was his wayward blast that condemned the Gunners.

He received a consoling hug from Brazil compatriot Marquinhos, who parked his own celebrations to one side to prioritise comforting his devastated fellow countryman.

So Arsenal's bid to shake off the all the negative connotations Paris has for them has failed.

The Gunners had demons to slay, just as they had to in landing their first Premier League title for 22 years.

Paris was where they lost their one previous appearance in the final, when that early red card for keeper Jens Lehmann destroyed their hopes.

It was at the Parc des Princes in 1995 that another European final failure lay in wait in the Cup Winners Cup. Nayim from the halfway line and all that, as Real Zaragoza triumphed.

Throw in last year's semi-final defeat to the European champions and it's clear there are not many happy memories connected with the city. How they wanted to change all that and re-write history.

The Gunners have, in truth, been the great under-achievers in European football. No side has appeared in as many games in the Champions league without winning it. Domestic rivals have been very fond of bating them with chants of 'Where's your European cup?' Of course, that is not about to change now.

Despite twice landing silverware in Euro competitions, the current generation of fans have only had defeats to remember - and not always against earth-shattering opposition. Zaragoza, Galatasaray, Barcelona and Chelsea have all rubbed their noses in the dirt by overcoming them in finals. before that in 1980, there was another defeat on penalties to Valencia.

Three Euro final defeats on penalties hurts. They also became the first team in 11 years to lose this final after taking the lead.

Their record badly in need of a pick-me-up after so many failures at the last hurdle. Perhaps it is their ill luck to have reached finals in this competition against stellar sides like Barcelona and this great PSG team - led in midfield by the brilliant Vitinha.

It is a pity we are no longer in an era where they might face Bruges, Malmo or Panathinaikos to win the cup. It is a different ball game finding a way past a club bankrolled by a wealthy nation. Qatar has got its money's worth with these back-to-back trophy lifts.

There is a feeling Arsenal did not get the rub of the green when it came to refereeing decisions. Daniel Siebert of Germany booked Mosquera for taking too long with a throw in and that upset the defender's hitherto positive approach after that.

He also waved away vehement appeals when Noni Madueke fell inside the box after a tangle with Mendes. Declan Rice and Mijel Arteta were both booked for their protests.

In a game of fine margins, it was not meant to be, yet when Havertz raced away down the left before lashing into the roof of the net for his second champions league final goal - following his winner for Chelsea in 2021 against Man City - the Gunners dared to believe.

The players deserve a heroes' reception at tomorrow's parade back in north London. They gave their all and came within a whisker of adding more glitter to their incredible season.

But this Parisian side, which did not have the same stresses in landing their domestic title as Arsenal, have once again had energy in reserve for their tilt at Europe's premier bauble.

Gunners: (4-2-3-1) Raya - Mosquera (Timber 66), Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie - Rice, Lewis-Skelly (Zubimendi ET) - Trossard (Martinelli 83), Odegaard (Gyokeres 66), Saka (Madueke 83), Havertz (Eze ET)

PSG: (4-3-3) Safonov - Hakimi, Marquinhos (Zarbanyi 105), Pacho, Nuno Mendes - Ruiz (Zaire-Emery ET), Vitinha (Beraldo 105), Joao Neves - Doue, Dembele (Gonzalo Ramos 90+6), Kvaratskhelia (Barcola 83)

Attendance: 61, 035