Arsenal stars hit back at critics after Champions League final heartbreak

The Gunners celebrated their first Premier League title in 22 years with an open-top bus tour through North London, just one day after a devastating Champions League final defeat.

Mikel Arteta's squad narrowly missed out on a historic double, losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. 

Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes were the unfortunate players to miss from the spot, sealing Arsenal's fate.

Madueke, who came on as a substitute in the second half, faced backlash for not being among the five designated penalty takers. The 24-year-old addressed the criticism with a pointed message on his Instagram account.

"Champions! Whilst others are tweeting and posting," Madueke wrote, captioning a photo of himself and teammate Declan Rice with the Premier League trophy. "Thank you God. The glory is yours!"

Rice, who successfully converted his penalty, added a playful comment in support of his teammate, writing, "Jealousy everywhere", accompanied by laughing emojis.

During the parade, Rice also delivered a defiant message to Arsenal's rivals. "They laughed. They are not laughing anymore," the midfielder declared. 

"I love this team, I love this manager. To see the joy we can give people is crazy. But next year we are coming back for more. Lock in or get locked out."

Arsenal's next competitive fixture will be the Community Shield against Manchester City at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where they will have their first chance to add more silverware for the 2026-27 season.