Brazil, led by Carlo Ancelotti, arrived in Kolkata for a friendly against India. Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes was cheekily reminded by local fans of his Champions League final penalty miss against PSG. Brazil will play at Salt Lake Stadium.
Brazil and Arsenal star Gabriel found himself on the receiving end of some classic football banter as he touched down in Kolkata ahead of the Selecao's blockbuster international friendly against India.
Brazil squad, led by coach Carlo Ancelotti, arrived in India for a much-anticipated friendly match against India at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday, October 3. The five-time world champions arrived from Australia, where they played two friendly matches, drawing the opening match 1–1 before bouncing back with a 4–2 victory.
The Brazilian squad has the likes of Vinicius Jr., Endrick, Marquinhos, and Bruno Guimaraes, all ready to headline manager Carlo Ancelotti's star-studded lineup at the Salt Lake Stadium, where large numbers of fans are expected to be drawn.
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Gabriel Reminded of Champions League Penalty
As Brazil prepares for their second tour of Asia, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes became the immediate center of attention for local fans, who cheekily welcomed him with a good-natured reminder of his penalty miss in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
In a video that went viral on social media, especially on Instagram, Brazilian players were leaving their team hotel and boarding the bus to head to the Salt Lake Stadium for practice sessions before the high-profile friendly match against the Blue Tigers, who recently played Panama at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
However, some of the Indian fans spotted Gabriel Magalhaes far from the team bus and cheekily reminded the Arsenal defender of his penalty miss in the Champions League final
“Gabriel, Penalty Miss,” some of the Indian fans were heard shouting.
Since India has a huge fanbase of European club football, it was no surprise that local supporters managed to recognize the star center-back instantly, blending relevance for the global powerhouse with typical football banter that quickly took over feeds online.
The top European clubs like Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea command massive followings across the country, making European football heartbreaks and domestic triumphs a universal language among Indian football enthusiasts.
Why Gabriel’s Champions League Final Penalty Miss Still Haunts Arsenal Fans?
The Champions League final this year, which took place at Puskas Arena in Budapest, saw Paris Saint-Germain successfully defend the title by defeating Arsenal. However, the match is remembered for Gabriel Magalhaes missing the decisive penalty kick over the bar in the shootout.
The final moved to the penalty shootout after the teams battled to a tense 1–1 draw through regulation and extra time, with Kai Havertz opening the scoring for the Gunners early before Ousmane Dembele leveled for PSG from the spot.
When it came down to sudden-death penalties, Gabriel Magalhaes was handed the ball to score a decisive goal that could keep Arsenal alive in the shootout, only to watch his high strike sail agonizingly over the crossbar at the Puskas Arena. That miss sealed a 4–3 shootout triumph for Paris Saint-Germain after a tense 1–1 draw.
Later, Gabriel Magalhaes admitted that the devastating miss initially made him feel ‘terrible’. and like he had let his teammates down, but he has since shown immense resilience. However, the Brazilian star expressed his determination to take the next crucial kick if called upon.
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