Eberechi Eze missed a penalty in the Champions League final penalty shoot-out against PSG and Mikel Arteta was seen consoling the England winger after Arsenal’s devastating defeat
Thomas Tuchel has promised that England’s players will “take care” of Eberechi Eze following his penalty shoot-out heartbreak.
Eze missed his spot-kick in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, with Mikel Arteta stepping in to console the midfielder after Arsenal’s gut-wrenching defeat.
Arsenal’s quartet of players — Eze, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Declan Rice — have been granted additional time away from international duty to recuperate both mentally and physically following the Champions League final.
The miss may weigh heaviest on Eze, given his pivotal role in the shoot-out, yet Tuchel is confident his squad will ensure the Arsenal contingent carry no lingering burden into the international break.
The England manager also reminded the Gunners representatives that they have enjoyed a “great season” on the whole, having clinched their first league title in 22 years before pushing the continent’s finest all the way in the Champions League final.
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Tuchel said: “Of course it’s painful for Ebs but of course I will take care of it, the group will take care of him and I think the extra week they had will help a lot.
“I’m very happy that they got the title in England. I think that took a lot of weight off their shoulders and they were aware they did what they could and they were very close in the final.
“I don’t think I will need to lift them. They’ve absolutely had a great season. I’m always happy to do it if I have to but they should know that a final just comes down to one or two shots in a penalty shoot-out which means it cannot be closer. At some point a winner has to be found.
“I have lost some finals in a penalty shoot-out and it’s the closest way to lose and it hurts of course, it hurts a lot to lose big finals but a penalty means you did everything right, it couldn’t be closer.
“But it also means you were absolutely on the same level with maybe the best team in the world at the moment.”
Arsenal’s quartet are travelling to West Palm Beach where England are currently training at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis and Pickleball Centre.
However, they are unlikely to feature in England’s opening friendly against New Zealand, which takes place 220 miles away in Tampa.
They will link up with their fellow England squad members upon their return following the match, with Tuchel having organised for them to access recordings of team meetings held this week.
Rice has endured a gruelling amount of football while the remaining trio have also experienced a whirlwind campaign.
Saka attended a premiere of a new documentary about him in New York this week, which Eze also went to, while the others enjoyed some downtime, with Rice sharing photographs of himself spending his week off with Hollywood mate James Corden.
Tuchel anticipates the Arsenal contingent will arrive in excellent spirits and confirmed that he has already communicated with some of them to ensure they feel integrated.
Tuchel continued: “I saw pictures and I heard messages already that they’re happy to come, the group is waiting. We’re in good spirits, so this is normally what helps and I think they’re very well aware of what they achieved this season.
“I thought I would just leave them to themselves, so they could be proud of what they achieved. We spoke after their title in the Premier League, which was the big target and I think that was the main target.
“I could feel that it makes them proud, and took a weight off their shoulders and I think there is no need to be overly disappointed and to carry it into the World Cup campaign. I don’t see that.”
