Gerrard Tears Into Eze's Penalty Technique as Arsenal Fall Short in Champions League Final

Steven Gerrard has launched a scathing assessment of Eberechi Eze's penalty execution, branding his approach as "nonsense" as Arsenal's bid for a first Champions League trophy came up short against Paris Saint-Germain.

The Gunners made the perfect start through Kai Havertz, only to see their advantage evaporate when Ousmane Dembele converted a spot-kick in the 64th minute after Cristhian Mosquera—who had been commanding proceedings—clumsily brought down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

After extra-time failed to produce a winner, the contest went to penalties. Arsenal's hopes crumbled when both Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes failed from the spot, with PSG emerging victorious 4-3 and claiming back-to-back Champions League crowns.

Eze's particular downfall came early in the shoot-out. His hesitant run-up saw him pull his effort agonisingly wide, handing the initiative to the French side. Though David Raya briefly levelled proceedings with a save, Gabriel's wayward effort over the bar proved the decisive blow.

The Liverpool legend didn't hold back in his assessment, telling TNT Sports that the magnitude of the occasion—the stadium, the atmosphere—made Eze's stuttering approach all the more damaging. "Put your foot through it, back your technique," Gerrard insisted.

Owen Hargreaves, the former Manchester United midfielder, echoed similar sentiments, arguing that hesitancy introduces self-doubt. He advocated for a more straightforward approach: pick your corner and strike it cleanly, rather than inviting uncertainty through an uncertain run-up.

Despite the disappointment, Hargreaves acknowledged both players' quality while expressing sympathy for their miss.

Jack Wilshere, Arsenal's ex-midfielder, struck a more philosophical note about the defeat. Though acknowledging the sting of the loss, he expressed confidence that another final appearance wouldn't require another two decades to materialise under Mikel Arteta's stewardship.

Arteta himself revealed that Gabriel had volunteered to take the fifth penalty, indicating the defender's willingness to shoulder responsibility. The manager noted that while his regular takers—Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz—would typically step up, extra-time altered the calculations.

Reflecting on Eze's preparation, Arteta observed that the midfielder's training record from twelve yards was immaculate. "He doesn't miss any" in rehearsals, the boss noted, but acknowledged the cruel reality of match-day execution under such extraordinary pressure.

On moving forward, Arteta spoke of channelling the pain into improvement. He insisted Arsenal would need to reach a different level to compete with Europe's elite, before offering magnanimous praise for PSG and manager Luis Enrique, describing them as "the best team in the world" and commending their technical quality and individual brilliance.