Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice paid tribute to his team-mates for an ‘incredible season’ after they lost the Champions League final on penalties to PSG.
Eberechi Eze and Gabriel missed from the spot in Budapest after a gutsy Gunners display had taken PSG to extra-time in a 1-1 draw.
The newly-crowned Premier League champions were chasing the double and a first Champions League title.
And Kai Havertz put them ahead early on before Ousmane Dembele’s penalty took the final to extra time and then penalties.
Rice scored from the spot and told TNT Sports: “It’s gutting and everyone is devastated to lose on penalties, but you have to try and keep some perspective.
“We’ve come so far as a group. It’s been an incredible season and we gave it absolutely everything. Penalties are a lottery – you can win or lose on them, and some of the best teams in history have lost that way.
“We win together and we lose together. What a season it’s been; I can’t speak highly enough of everyone. It has been an incredible journey and we will be back.”
The Gunners had to wait 20 years for another shot at the title after losing to Barcelona in 2006.
But Rice, who was as impreseive as ever in a losing midfield fight, thinks Mikel Arteta’s side are here to stay.
He added: “Against a side like PSG, you need to be completely on it for the whole game. If we had gone out and played the way Bayern did against them, that’s exactly what they would have wanted.
“We grew into the game and we had some good chances, but fair play to them – they are a great team with a great manager. They are having their time right now, but our time is going to come.
“We just have to keep pushing to achieve something big.”
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