UMVA has learned that former Chelsea captain John Terry reached out with heartfelt support to Arsenal defender Gabriel after the heartbreaking penalty miss in Saturday’s Champions League final.
The Gunners had driven Paris Saint‑Germain to the brink, forcing the match into a nerve‑wracking shootout, only to see the decisive spot‑kick slip away from Gabriel’s boot.
Just a week after clinching a long‑awaited Premier League crown, Arsenal’s dream of a historic double shattered in Budapest, leaving the Brazilian defender to shoulder an agonizing moment.
Despite the rivalry that could have prompted a smug celebration—Chelsea remains the sole London club with a European crown—Terry chose empathy, recalling his own pain from a similar final in 2008.
He confessed, “I feel for Gabriel; I’ve been there myself,” echoing the raw vulnerability of a player who once slipped in a rain‑soaked Moscow final, costing his team a trophy.
“It’s a horrible way to lose,” Terry added, acknowledging Arsenal’s brilliance across both domestic and continental stages while offering a genuine wish for Gabriel’s recovery.
Gabriel, though bruised by the miss, joined Arsenal’s jubilant parade through north London, where an estimated 1.5 million fans celebrated the league triumph.
In a moving Instagram note, the Brazil international expressed pride in the season’s achievements and gratitude to the supporters, signing off with a promise to return stronger.
“It’s painful but I’m proud of this team,” he wrote, reminding everyone that resilience is forged in moments of defeat as much as in victory.
