Declan Rice shows true colours with message to Arsenal duo after penalty misses

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Declan Rice was left “gutted” after Arsenal endured penalty shoot-out heartbreak.

Gunners defender Gabriel fired the decisive fifth penalty over the crossbar as Arsenal ’s Double dream died in the Puskas Arena.

Arsenal’s army of travelling fans left rather than see French giants Paris Saint Germain lift the trophy as they became only the second team in the modern era to retain the Champions League .

Rice said: “We're all gutted. It's a Champions League final. The emotions and the stakes are so high.

“We took the game to penalties. It's a lottery. It's football, you know. You either win on pens or you lose on pens. Some of the best teams ever lost on penalties in finals.

“We were on the receiving end of that tonight. But look, we win together, we lose together. I'm so proud of this group and these boys.

“What a season. It's been incredible. I can't speak highly enough of everyone. I'm obviously gutted, but I'm just trying to take a little bit of perspective.

“ PSG are a great team, great manager, great individuals. They've lost loads over the years and obviously now they're having their time. And I feel like that's going to keep happening with us.”

Rice also offered comfort to Gabriel and Eberechi Eze who missed in the shoot-out.

He added: “Without them two this season, we wouldn't have won the Premier League . That's for sure. Gabriel… I’ve run out of words for him. As a person, as a player.

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"And Eze as well. The crucial goals he's come up with for us this year. It happens. It's football and it's cruel. But look, we take the positives and we keep going.”

But it means that Arsenal’s wait for the biggest prize in European football goes on because they have never won the Champions League and this was a heartbreaking missed opportunity.

Kai Havertz put Arsenal ahead only for Ousmane Dembele to level from the penalty spot and the final then went all the way to a shoot-out.

Gunners keeper David Raya made a heroic save from Nuno Mendes while Viktor Gyokeres, Rice and Gabriel Martinelli were on target but Eberechi Eze and Gabriel missed their spot kicks.

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PSG forward Desire Doue “We are so so proud, so happy, so grateful. It was a tough game against a very good team, congrats to them, they had a really good season.

“As a team, as a family, I think we deserve that … look at the crowd, look at our family … We want to say thank you, we are so happy.”

When asked whether PSG can become one of the greatest teams ever, Doue added: “I don’t know. You [the media] have to tell. We have to stay humble. We have to work again. We are a young team. We want more.”

Former Arsenal defender Matt Upson said Arteta’s men came so close despite being outplayed for so much of the match.

Upson said : “If you start to break it down on the numbers, percentages, possession and passes. You would think it was a one-sided boxing match.

“In many aspects it was, but it was designed that way on purpose to achieve a goal to win the Champions League, and it was inches away. It was within touching distance.”

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