Arsenal Champions League Final Player Ratings: Kai Havertz Shines, Gabriel Magalhaes's Disappointment
Despite Kai Havertz's continued goal-scoring prowess in continental competitions, Arsenal had to settle for second place after a heartbreaking penalty shootout against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Champions League final ended in the most painful scenario for Arsenal. Two missed penalties by Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes extinguished the London team's hopes of winning the title, making Paris Saint-Germain the new European champions. However, looking at the overall performance, Mikel Arteta's side had some truly classy moments.
Kai Havertz's composure and the attacking efforts of the forwards.
Kai Havertz once again proved why he's called a player for big matches. His cool finish to open the scoring not only showcased his killer instinct but also demonstrated impressive physicality and space-creating abilities. Havertz received a rating of 7.4, the highest for Arsenal, thanks to his profound influence on the attacking play.
Supporting Havertz was Leandro Trossard (6.7) with a clever ball control leading to a goal. However, Bukayo Saka (6.4) had an underperforming night. Despite sacrificing a lot to drop deep and support the defense, the yellow card and missed potential counter-attack opportunities prevented the English star from making a significant impact.
Defense: From resilience to a cruel turning point
Arsenal's defense had a tough day under pressure from PSG. Gabriel Magalhaes (7) and William Saliba (7) played extremely focused with numerous accurate interventions. In particular, the Brazilian center-back showed leadership in the back until he missed the fateful penalty.
The biggest black spot in the defense was Cristhian Mosquera (6.1). His mistake of fouling Kvaratskhelia in the penalty area became the turning point that caused Arsenal to lose their advantage. Conversely, David Raya (6.9) had an excellent game with many saves in both extra time and the penalty shootout, although he could not help his team win the title.
A resilient midfield and a breath of fresh air: Lewis-Skelly
Declan Rice (7) continued to be a dedicated "sweeper" in the midfield, trying to disrupt the opponent's play although he hadn't really imposed his influence. Meanwhile, captain Martin Odegaard (6.7) was active in pressing before being substituted after PSG scored the equalizer.
Most notably, Myles Lewis-Skelly's performance (6.5) was remarkable. At 19 years old, this young talent showed incredible composure when coming on as a finalist. His save, pushing Kvaratskhelia's shot onto the post, demonstrated his immense potential on the continent's biggest stage.
The defeat in Paris was a low point, but what the Arsenal players showed, from Havertz's instincts to Lewis-Skelly's maturity, suggests a promising future for the "Gunners" in the Champions League in the coming seasons.
