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Arsenal were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday, leaving Chelsea as the only London club to have ever claimed European football's ultimate prize — and the Blues were quick to make sure everyone knew it.
The Gunners came agonizingly close to lifting the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history. Arsenal broke the deadlock early through former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, who unleashed a powerful strike to net his second goal in a Champions League final.
However, it was not meant to be for Arsenal, who surrendered a 1–0 lead for the second time in their agonizing Champions League final history. Ousmane Dembélé leveled from the penalty spot, and when the match was forced into a shootout after 120 minutes, it was Gabriel who emerged as the unfortunate figure, blazing his crucial kick over the bar to hand PSG the title and shatter Arsenal's dreams in the process.
Shortly after Arsenal endured yet another painful European evening, Chelsea twisted the knife with a pointed message on social media.
Chelsea Troll Arsenal on Social Media
Come and visit London's Home of Trophies. 🏆
Book your Stadium Tour at Stamford Bridge now. ⭐️⭐️
Almost immediately after Gabriel's missed penalty condemned Arsenal to an even longer wait for European glory, Chelsea posted a message on their official X account that was a barely veiled dig at Arsenal's loss.
The Blues published a post encouraging supporters to visit Stamford Bridge and browse the club's trophy collection. The post featured a selection of photos, with the Champions League trophy prominently displayed at the forefront.
"Come visit London's Home of Trophies," Chelsea's post declared, pointedly framing it not just as Chelsea's trophy home, but as belonging to the entire capital city.
Chelsea have claimed the Champions League on two occasions — first in a penalty shootout against Bayern Munich in 2012, then by defeating Manchester City in an all-English final in 2021. The Blues remain the only club in London to have ever hoisted the Champions League trophy.
But Chelsea weren't the only Premier League side to take a swipe at Arsenal's defeat. Crystal Palace, who claimed the Conference League earlier in the week, also shared a photo of themselves celebrating with the trophy, captioning it: "European Champions."
European Champions. pic.twitter.com/0IIyMkBABj
Premier League clubs featured in all three European finals this season. Palace took the Conference League and Aston Villa claimed the Europa League. Arsenal were unable to complete the clean sweep by winning the Champions League.
It appears Arsenal's heartache is being savored by clubs across the English football landscape, with their London rivals leading the charge in reveling in the moment. Nevertheless, the mere fact that the Gunners were in contention to win the Champions League speaks volumes about their quality — and reflects poorly on other clubs, particularly a heavyweight like Chelsea.
Arsenal Still Miles Above the Rest in England
Chelsea may be taking shots at Arsenal, but that does nothing to alter the reality that while the Gunners claimed the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years, the Blues ended the season in 10th place and failed to qualify for European competition.
What's more, Arsenal pushed PSG to the very edge and all the way to the unpredictability of a penalty shootout. Just two months prior, Chelsea had their own shot at toppling the Parisians but were instead humiliated by an 8–2 aggregate loss in the Champions League round of 16.
The two clubs could not be entering the summer in more contrasting circumstances. Arsenal will still hold a parade on Monday to mark their Premier League triumph, while Chelsea are gearing up to launch the Xabi Alonso era — the fourth time in five seasons that the club will begin a campaign under a new manager.
Chelsea's jab at Arsenal served as a nod to historical record, but when focusing strictly on the present, the Blues have a considerable distance to travel before they can match the Gunners' current standing.