Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has revealed that Arsenal defender Gabriel reached out to thank him for his compassionate reaction after the Brazilian's penalty miss cost his team the Champions League final.
Champions League Final Heartbreak
The Parisians successfully defended their crown in Budapest, securing a 4-3 victory on penalties to become only the second club in the Champions League era to win back-to-back titles. Eberechi Eze missed from 12 yards for the Gunners, but it was Gabriel's decisive skied penalty that sealed Arsenal's fate.
Gabriel, who has been a towering presence for Arsenal this season, endured a crushing low. The 28-year-old was immediately consoled by Marquinhos, who sprinted to his side instead of celebrating with his teammates.
Marquinhos Reveals Message
The pair share a strong bond from their time together on the international stage, and Marquinhos disclosed that Gabriel had reached out after the match. Speaking in a news conference, he said: “A day later, I received a message from him thanking me for that moment, for the support, for the hug, and for the words I’d shared with him. I told him it had been my greatest victory that night, and that the reaction it generated was great.
“My mum came over, proud of what I’d done, along with my wife, family and brothers. It was the best accolade I received that night. Players have to move on to the next challenge very quickly. I can’t keep celebrating forever; we’ve got other things to do, and so does he.”
Understanding Gabriel's Pain
Marquinhos was perhaps ideally placed to understand Gabriel's anguish, having suffered a similar fate. He missed the crucial penalty that saw Brazil eliminated from the World Cup quarter-finals against Croatia in 2022.
The PSG star opened up about his conversation with Gabriel, praising the Arsenal defender and emphasising that greater opportunities lie ahead. “I told him that, in my opinion, he was the best centre-back in the world this season,” Marquinhos said. “He simply didn’t deserve to carry that burden because, of course, we all want to score penalties.
“I told him that nothing about that moment would take away from the wonderful season he’d had and that we were going to need him very much. Those were my words to him, so that he could get over that moment as quickly as possible because we were going to need him very soon here.”
