Arsenal fans express disappointment after Champions League defeat

Arsenal supporters who gathered in pubs across north London in hopes of witnessing their team secure the Champions League for the first time were left disappointed after Saturday’s loss to Paris Saint‑Germain.

Despite the setback, they expressed optimism about celebrating the club’s first Premier League title in 22 years, which will be paraded through the streets of the capital on Sunday.

“I am gutted. So sad. It was so close,” 75‑year‑old osteopath Berwyn Rutherford told AFP shortly after the English giants lost 4‑3 on penalties following a 1‑1 draw in the final in Budapest.

PSG secured their second consecutive Champions League title after Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes both missed for the Gunners in the shoot‑out.

Kai Havertz had given Arsenal an early lead before Ousmane Dembele equalised from the spot for the French side in the second half.

“Arsenal played better. I hate penalties. It is so unfair,” added Rutherford.

Thousands of Arsenal supporters turned the streets around the club’s ground in the Highbury area of north London into a sea of red and white on Saturday afternoon.

Decked out in replica shirts and Arsenal scarves, many packed into bars while those who could not gain entry watched from pub windows or at home.

Sam Friedman, a 34‑year‑old lawyer, flew in from New York City on Saturday morning to watch the game close to his beloved team’s Emirates Stadium.

“I am sad,” he told AFP, before adding: “It’s not the end of the world. Next season we are going to win.”

He was not the only diehard Arsenal fan trying to find a positive angle on what has been a memorable season for the Gunners.

“Premier League champions, and within touching distance of European glory. A season we can be immensely proud of,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote in a post on X.

Sunday’s Premier League victory parade is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) and is expected to last about two hours.

Seventeen‑year‑old Felix Koelsch described the outcome of Saturday’s game — Arsenal’s second appearance in the Champions League final following their first in 2006 — as “disappointing”.

“But they played so well. It’s just a matter of time, they will win. We won the league and it’s more than enough!” he told AFP.

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