Gabriel vows to step up again after Champions League final penalty miss
Gabriel Magalhães has made clear he has no fear of spot-kicks despite his costly miss in last season's Champions League final shootout defeat to PSG.
ESPN reports that the defender "is ready to take another penalty" for Arsenal, showing no hesitation about stepping up again should the situation arise (ESPN). The Evening Standard frames it as a "promise" from Gabriel following the "heartbreak" of that final, recalling how the shootout loss was particularly painful given that Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz had all already been substituted off the pitch before the kicks were taken, leaving a less experienced penalty-taking lineup to face PSG (Evening Standard).
Sky Sports carries Gabriel's own words most directly, quoting him as saying "If there's another penalty I will take it!" when asked about that shootout heartbreak (Sky Sports). All three outlets agree on the central point: Gabriel is determined not to shy away from penalty duty again, even after missing in such a high-stakes moment.
Separately, Football.London reports on a more immediate concern for Arsenal, detailing a "fresh double injury blow" with four players missing training at the Sobha Realty Training Centre as Mikel Arteta finalised preparations for the Champions League clash against Lille (Football.London). This story doesn't tie directly into Gabriel's penalty comments but underlines the broader context of Arsenal's build-up to Champions League action this season.
Taken together, the reports show Gabriel using this run of Champions League fixtures to address the lingering disappointment of last season's final, publicly backing himself to take responsibility from the spot again, while Arsenal simultaneously deal with fresh fitness concerns ahead of facing Lille.
Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.










