Bradley Barcola might have been left to ponder what could have been. Entering the UEFA Champions League final in the 83rd minute, a match ultimately clinched by Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal this Saturday in Budapest (1-1, 4-3 on penalties), the young forward found himself with two golden chances to secure victory for the Parisian club before the tense penalty shootout.

First, in the 85th minute, the 23-year-old striker was thwarted by a quick intervention from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. Then, deep into stoppage time (90+7), Barcola missed what could have been the decisive goal. Having broken through the Gunners’ defense, the former Lyon player unleashed a powerful shot from a tight angle, but it sailed wide of the target following some less-than-ideal ball control.

Fortunately, the missed chances proved inconsequential as PSG ultimately prevailed, lifting the prestigious trophy for the second consecutive year. Barcola, reflecting on his own missteps, took a humorous approach, sharing his thoughts on his Instagram account later that evening.

“No worries, we won”

Alongside a photograph capturing him with teammate Ousmane Dembélé, both proudly clutching the trophy, the French international penned a candid caption: « I should have sealed the game but ma3lich (which translates to ‘no worries’ or ‘it’s not a big deal’ in Arabic), we won. »

Notably, the winger did not step up to take a penalty during the decisive shootout. This proved unnecessary, however, as PSG successfully navigated the pressure, only missing one attempt, and ultimately securing another prestigious European title.