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Rice, Odegaard react as Arsenal suffer UEFA Champions League heartbreak
30th May, 2026 11:34 PM
English Premier League champions Arsenal were unable to end their wait for a UEFA Champions League trophy after going down 4-3 in post-match penalties against PSG on Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Budapest, Hungary.
After a 1-1 draw in regulation time and in extra time, the scoreline was tied in a 1-1 draw, and the winner had to be decided from the spot kicks. After the Gunners’ loss, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard have opened up.
Rice: Eze and Gabriel are devastated
“Devastated. Missing a penalty in a Champions League final isn’t nice. But we love them. Look, that happens in football. They aren’t going to be the last players to miss a penalty in the finals. Everyone has missed a penalty. Without the two of them this season, we wouldn’t have won the Premier League. It’s cruel, but we take the positives,” Rice said while speaking with TNT Sports about Gabriel and Eberechi Eze’s missed penalties.
Rice: We had a similar penalty against Leverkusen
“I’ve not seen it back yet, but at the time on the pitch, I thought Noni was ahead of him. Looking back at the one we got against Bayer Leverkusen, it was very similar,” he added.
“I’m not going to get into it now. At the time, I was devastated. Against PSG, you have to be mentally on it. I thought as the game went on, we grew into it and created a number of chances.
“PSG have lost loads over the years, and now they are having their time. I think that’s going to keep happening with us. We are having our small losses, but we are going to go on and keep pushing.”
Rice: This defeat won’t define us
“The emotions and the stakes are so high. It’s cruel. He [Arteta] spoke about how much he loves us as a group. How we’ve given 100 per cent every single game with everything that’s been thrown at us,” the midfielder added.
“This is only the start for us. We got over the line in the Premier League; this would’ve been one step further, but it wasn’t to be. We keep building. Since I came to the club, it was a quarter-final exit, then semi-final and now final. We keep going and keep staying positive. This isn’t going to define us.”
Odegaard: We have done something incredible this season
“Everyone is really disappointed. When you are that close to winning, it is really tough to take. At the same time we know what we have done this season, and we’ve achieved something incredible, and we were so close to doing even better today,” the Gunners’ skipper stated.
“So we have to see the bigger picture and remember all the good stuff as well.
“I felt like we controlled the game after getting the first goal. They had the ball a lot, but they didn’t create too many chances. In the end, penalties are a tough way to lose.”
Odegaard: Marquinhos a class act
“He is a gentleman. He’s probably one of the most experienced players out there today.
“He’s been on both sides of a final like this, and he knows what we are going through right now,” the Norwegian added.
Odegaard: We wouldn’t be here without Gabriel and Eze
“It is our job to pick them up now. We know what they have given to this team this season, and we wouldn’t be here without them.
“That is a part of football; that is a part of life. It is our job to pick them – and everyone else – up and make sure we come back even better next season.”
